It has been announced that the stage production of "King Lear," starring actress Shinobu Otake and performed from October to November last year, will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW from 8:00 p.m. on April 18th.
"King Lear" was the 15th production in the "DISCOVERWORLD THEATRE Series," a collaborative effort between Japanese and international creators to present outstanding international plays with a contemporary perspective. It is one of Shakespeare's four great tragedies and is considered to be the most contemporary of Shakespeare's works.
The play was written and directed by Philip Breen, whose innovative directing techniques, which look deeply into human nature and delicately weave stories, were highly praised in his productions of "Crime and Punishment" (2019) and "Anna Karenina" (2023).
The role of King Lear will be played by Shinobu Otake. Otake, who has appeared in many Shakespeare productions and is highly trusted by Breen, will take on the challenging role of the male king, Lear. Also appearing in the film will be Rie Miyazawa, Ryo Narita, Erika Ikuta, Hiroshi Suzuka, Eiji Yokota, Tamae Ando, Masanobu Katsumura, and Hajime Yamazaki.
The "King Lear" that will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW is a recording of the stage performance that took place at Tokyu Kabukicho Tower THEATER MILANO-Za (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) on October 23, 2025.
◇Story
When King Lear (Otake) of Britain abdicates due to old age, he decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. His eldest daughter, Goneril (Miyazawa), and his second daughter, Regan (Ando), skillfully sweet-talk their father and please him, but his youngest daughter, Cordelia (Ikuta), can only speak honestly, which angers Lear, leading to her disowning him. The Earl of Kent (Yokota), who tries to protect him, is also exiled.
Cordelia is disowned and becomes Queen of France, while Kent changes his appearance, hides his identity, and returns to serve Lear. As promised, Lear seeks refuge in his daughters Goneril and Regan, but is betrayed and ends up wandering the wilderness, gradually becoming consumed by madness. To rescue Lear, Cordelia lands in Dover with the French army. However, the French army is defeated by the British army, and Lear and Cordelia are taken prisoner. Thanks to the efforts of Kent and others, Lear is rescued, but Cordelia has been killed in prison, and when Lear emerges holding his daughter's body, he screams in grief...
