We are continuing to make our way through King Lear this week! After arriving at programs and doing the ring, we start to talk about the 15th anniversary documentary that the team is builidng for Shakespeare in Prison.

I ask them the first question for the documentary: “What do you remember about walking into your first SIP session?”

A participant: “I was so scared but I was ready at the same time. It was intimidating. I wasn’t alone, a bunch of us started together. I still get butterflies, but now they’re from excitement.”

A participant: “I came in and sat down in 2013. Frannie’s energy was amazing. She described the show. I said, ‘I’m in and I’m Caliban.’ She told me it didn’t work like that. I stepped out of my element. I could be myself. I didn’t have to be tough and have this hard exterior.”

A participant: “I remember being open-minded and eager for what I would experience. This was the first program I got into.”

A participant: “I felt the same way. I joined for the summer show. We played Party Guest on the first session and I got to be Batman. I saw Julius Caesar before and I was excited.”

A participant: “I saw the stage and said ‘Honey I’m home!!’”

A participant: “I was excited but I was scared. I saw people performing monologues and thought I had to do voices. I thought [member] was great.” and “They picked me lord!”

A participant: “I was nervous and excited. I loved it and enjoyed every second.”

A participant: “I remember reading Shakespeare in junior high and high school and I thought this would be like that.”

I asked the group what they wanted to do and they wanted to read. We picked up where we left off in Act 1, Scene 4.

One member uses an Irish accent for Lear. Some people think it sounds Scottish, it definitely sounds Scottish. 

A participant listens to Lear’s curse: “Damn he talking about her child!”

A participant: “He just wished the worst thing on his daughter. He’s losing his mind because he’s losing his status.”

We talk about the letter Goneril has sent to her sister and I ask the group their predictions of Regan’s reaction. The group thinks Regan will do Lear worse.

We talk more about Lear’s curse on his daughter.

“This is one fucked up family,” a member says.

“How dysfunctional,” another adds.

We’ll see what the group thinks of the rest of the show as we continue to explore!