National Theatre's King Lear, Directed by Sam Mendes & Starring Simon Russell Beale, to Hit Cinemas

The upcoming National Theatre production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear, directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes and starring Olivier winner Simon Russell Beale, will be presented in movie theaters worldwide. The show will be broadcast live from the Olivier Theatre on May 1, 2014. Screening dates will differ internationally with encore presentations to follow. The Bard play begins previews on January 14 and officially opens on January 23.

King Lear tells the story of an aging king who decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters, according to which of them is most eloquent in praising him. His favorite, Cordelia, says nothing and Lear’s world falls into disorder.

Beale will be joined on stage by Stephen Boxer (Gloucester), Cassie Bradley, Tom Brooke (Edgar), Richard Clothier, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Kate Fleetwood (Goneril), Simon Manyonda, Anna Maxwell Martin (Regan), Daniel Millar, Michael Nardone, Gary Powell, Adrian Scarborough (Fool), Hannah Stokely, Stanley Townsend (Kent), Sam Troughton (Edmund), Olivia Vinall (Cordelia) and Ross Waiton.

King Lear's creative team includes production design by Anthony Ward, lighting design by Paul Pyant, video design by Jon Driscoll, fight direction by Terry King and sound design by Paul Arditti.