The Shadow King

After an understated, slightly confusing beginning in which the audience seems to be witnessing a group of people in a jam session, a giant behemoth of a road train arrives, its menacing presence highlighting the beginning of a wonderfully different night of theatre, The Shadow King.

Directed by Michael Kantor, the production radically transforms Shakespeare’s King Lear into a tale of indigenous land rights in a Northern Territory community. However, this is not a story of white men taking land from indigenous people, although that part of history is pointedly referred to. Instead, it is the tale of an indigenous man giving away land he does not own and of the terrible consequences this has.

As a result, King Lear’s story of greed, violence, deception, betrayal and death has never looked like this. Surely, it has never before been told so convincingly.

Co-creators Tom E. Lewis and Michael Kantor collaborated with the cast to transform Shakespeare’s script, until it became a story told in a mix of Indigenous languages and creoles, made even more compelling by songs and by the distinctly Indigenous music from the excellent support band.

On a simple yet ingenious set, dominated by red sand and a ‘transformer’-like road train that evolves instantly into homes, a cave and even a jail, an experienced cast of accomplished Aboriginal and Torres Strait performers graphically and often humorously enact the story.

Tom E. Lewis is both funny and tragic as Lear, his energy levels owning the stage whenever he is there. Kamahi Djordon King is a standout as the fool, amusing and camp one moment, intensely wise the next.

Jimi Bani is a brilliant Edmund, building from a comically manipulative character to an intense and coldly dangerous man. Jada Alberts, Rarriwuy Hick and Natasha Wanganeen are strong and distinctly individual in their characterisation of the daughters. The remaining cast is uniformly excellent.

The Shadow King is an ingeniously effective exploration of the themes in Shakespeare’s King Lear. Supported by a great cast and emotive staging, it transports the audience deep into the heart of an Indigenous community that is torn apart by character issues common to all humanity.

Lesley Reed

Image: Tom E Lewis. Credit: Daybreak Films.