Review of "Lear's Daughters"

Having read "King Lear" last semester I was familiar with the characters of the play and motives. However I had no previous knowledge of the play "Lear's Daughters", only that it was a one act play going to be performed in a black box theater at a liberal arts college. I should have taken heed before I entered the theater. Although I usually intrigued when a modern author twists a classic work to shed new light on it, this play went as far to assume almost all history that led to the events in King Lear in regards to the interaction between the King and his daughters. This play alluded to incest, neglect, loneliness and heartbreak that was steeped in cynicism and ultimately hatred. By the end of this play we see how Lear's daughters ended up as the cold hearted unforgiving adult women they became, and how their overwhelming detest for their father led to his, and ultimately their, downfall. The contemporary feeling of this play ultimately came from the choice of the writer to use modern prosaic form rather than a classic Shakespearean dialogue. Although the content and style of the play was not particularly a favorite of mine (I prefer farces and comedies ie "The Foreigner" and "Noises Off") I was very impressed by the performances of the actors, especially Goneril. All of her reactions and speeches seemed organic and never once premeditated or rehearsed. Even line and expression came from that exact moment which is very difficult to produce.