A year of Lear: Four new stagings hone in on the tragedy’s timeless lessons

Four separate productions of William Shakespeare's tragedy "King Lear" have been staged in Japan within the span of a single year.

The wave of new stagings signals a renewed cultural and theatrical interest in a play that historically has not always been the primary choice for producers in the country.

The four distinct interpretations collectively hone in on the timeless lessons embedded within the dramatic work.