I’m so excited for this Sunday’s entry in our 2016 Family Advent Calendar! As you may know, Shakespeare has often been a part of our Advent festivities. My favourite Shakespeare-related advent activity so far is when we read and illustrated As You Like It.
Today, we’re doing a King Lear Cold Reading.
That’s right, we’re going to do an off-the-cuff reading of Shakespeare’s King Lear!
We’ve scavenged four copies of the same edition of King Lear. And, we’ll divide all of the parts in the play between the four of us, trying our best to give the kids two contrasting parts to play. In all likelihood, Bea will play Lear or Cordelia, Edmund, and more. And, Toby will play Gloucester, Edgar or Goneril, and more. Their father will take on Cordelia or Lear, Albany, and more. And I’ll be Reagan, Goneril or Edgar, and more. We’ll go through the play one act at a time. [Maybe performing in instalments.]
The importance of a “cold reading” is to do your best reading your lines in character, as if you’re confident you understand what you’re saying [even if you’re not.] And there’s no sitting down on this one. We’re going to cold read this play ALL OVER THE HOUSE!
Ever done a cold reading of your own? We’d love to hear!
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