Audiences will soon be able to see once again an innovative adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear. That’s because, in this modern retelling, Companhia Extemporânea has decided to unite classical dramaturgy with vibrant drag queen art.
The show, which sold out at Sesc Consolação, will run from September 5 to 29 at the Alfredo Mesquita Theater. And best of all, it’s free of charge!
King Lear and drag art in focus
This adaptation of ‘King Lear’ by Cia. Extemporânea is a celebration of drag queen art, featuring renowned queens such as Alexia Twister, Antonia Pethit, DaCota Monteiro, Ginger Moon, Lilith Prexeva, Maldita Hammer, Mercedez Vulcão, Thelores and Xaniqua Laquisha. Directed by Ines Bushatsky and adapted by playwright João Mostazo, the show promises a fusion between drag aesthetics and Shakespeare’s tragic poetry.
The show not only maintains the magic essence of Shakespeare’s work, but also highlights the authenticity of drag art. After all, these performances are known for their ability to dissolve aesthetic boundaries and challenge traditional gender roles.
“The total drag” is the term used by the director for the approach, which moves between the comic and the tragic, the performative and the theatrical, often within the same scene.
Mercedez Volcano notes that drag art has always been present in theatre, but has been marginalized for religious and patriarchal reasons.
That’s why it’s important to put her at the center of a stage like this, starring in a work by Shakespeare. It sounds like it, but it’s nothing new. It’s actually the rescue of spaces that have long belonged to us.”
With costumes by Salomé Abdala and visagism by Malonna and Polly, the show imagines a drag queen world where all conflicts are modulated by this aesthetic. In the play, L ear is portrayed as a “mama drag” whose daughters vie for power, highlighting the intersection between Shakespearean tragedy and drag art.
In addition, the production uses traditional elements of drag culture, such as lipsync, to intensify the drama of the play. Lear’s madness, for example, is expressed through a typical nightclub performance, underlining drag’s loss of identity. This approach highlights Shakespeare’s emotional complexity and drag’s ability to access these emotions.
In other words, this adaptation of ‘King Lear’ promises to be a unique experience, celebrating the diversity of classical theater and drag culture.
The story
If you don’t know Shakespeare’s work the summary is as follows: Lear, king of Brittany, decides to divide the kingdom between his three daughters, Cordelia, Regan and Goneril. However, Cordelia refuses to take part in the ritual of passing on the crown, and the king, furious, condemns her to exile. Cordelia’s exile sets in motion the complete break-up of the kingdom. Without a crown, betrayed by his daughters and seeing his kingdom on the brink of war, Lear sinks into a spiral of madness.