Almeida Theatre's KING LEAR Will Have 3/15 Fundraising Screening at BAFTA's Princess Anne Theatre

On Friday 15 March 2013 at 7pm, Digital Theatre's film version of Michael Attenborough's Almeida Theatre production of King Lear will have a fundraising screening at BAFTA's Princess Anne Theatre.

Starring award-winning Jonathan Pryce in the title role, Attenborough's production of Shakespeare's greatest tragedy was filmed in the intimacy of The Almeida Theatre and formed part of the World Shakespeare Festival for London 2012. King Lear is Attenborough's final directorial piece for the Almeida and this screening celebrates his 11 year contribution to the Theatre's history as he prepares to step down as Artistic Director this Spring. The proceeds of this fundraiser will support the ongoing work of the Almeida to ensure that the theatre is alive each night with performances that inspire, excite and are accessible to all.

The King Lear fundraiser starts with drinks and an introduction to the film by Michael Attenborough and Digital Theatre's Robert Delamere. After the screening, members of the King Lear cast and creative team join the audience for an exclusive party with drinks and canapés in BAFTA's iconic Piccadilly venue.

The cast of the production is Jonathan Pryce (King Lear), Kieran Bew (Edmund), Benjamin Dilloway (King of France), Steven Elliott (Oswald), Phoebe Fox (Cordelia), Trevor Fox (Fool), Ian Gelder (Kent), Richard Goulding (Edgar), Richard Hope (Albany), Jenny Jules (Regan), Barry McCarthy (Lear's Loyal Servant), Andrew Nolan (Duke of Burgundy), Chook Sibtain (Cornwall), Christopher Tester (Cornwall's Servant), Zoe Waites (Goneril), Alix Wilton Regan (Gloucester's Loyal Servant) and Clive Wood (Gloucester).

When Lear asks each of his daughters to profess their love for him, he is flattered by the false hyperbole of Regan and Goneril. When his youngest daughter Cordelia confesses to love him simply as a daughter should, his pride is dented and he casts her out of his kingdom. Too late to realise his mistake, and forced from power by his offspring, an increasingly impotent and frail Lear descends into madness.

Michael Attenborough's own productions over the last 11 years as Artistic Director of The Almeida Theatre are King Lear, Filumena, Reasons To Be Pretty, The Knot of the Heart, Through A Glass Darkly, Measure for Measure, When the Rain Stops Falling, In a Dark Dark House, The Homecoming, Awake and Sing!, Big White Fog, There Came A Gypsy Riding, Enemies, The Late Henry Moss, Brighton Rock, Five Gold Rings and The Mercy Seat. Other notable Almeida productions include Festen, Hedda Gabler, The Goat, Duet for One, Waste, Rope, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Ruined, Becky Shaw and A Delicate Balance. Four productions have transferred to the West End and one to Broadway. During his time at the Almeida, Attenborough has been awarded two Honorary Doctorates - one from the University of Leicester and one from the University of Sussex where he is also Honorary Professor of English. In April 2012 he was presented with the Award for Excellence in InterNational Theatre by the InterNational Theatre Institute.

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