For any lover of English literature, Shakespeare is always an exciting reason to foray into the unexplored areas of the language. You can criticise him, but you cannot loosen the grip he holds over theatre and art even after centuries.
In a telling, poignant, modern adaptation of King Lear, one of the Bard’s most well-known tragedies, Nothing Like Lear, explores the relationship between a father and his daughters from a slightly different lens. Starring Vinay Pathak in the role of a clown, Rajat Kapoor, who has directed the play, has made the narrative universal and contemporary.
In a candid conversation with The Hindu, Vinay talks about the play, his love for acting, his experiments with Shakespeare and his love for theatre. Vinay believes King Lear is one of Shakespeare’s biggest and best plays, which can be adapted into many beautiful forms. “It is a story about a king and his three daughters. When he retires, he tests his daughters’ love for him. There is treachery, loyalty and the ensuing family drama. It is perfect to portray on stage because it has something for everyone.”
“Ours is a modern adaption of the play,” he continues, saying, “Rajat and I created this adaptation to look at the relationship between a father and a daughter; not just how it was in the Elizabethan times, but also with today’s generation. Not just in royal families, but in the common man’s life. What Lear stands for, what patriarchy stands for, can be beautifully explored with this adaptation, and we have been a little cheeky with it.”
Nothing Like Lear explores the relationship between a father and his daughters
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Vinay believes a one-man performance, such as this, is not easy because the actor is alone on stage. “This format is a little difficult because if you forget the lines, there is nobody to tell you, or cue you in. It is a little scary, but challenging and exciting at the same time. You tap into all the faculties at your disposal, scale it in, and it becomes an actors’ indulgence,” he says.
Is comedy difficult? He answers. “Every part of acting is difficult, but if you enjoy it, it becomes easy. I have two daughters, and I bring the passion and compassion I feel towards them into my performance. I know a lot of people derive many emotions from their personal lives, and reflect them in their respective works.”
Theatre is perhaps the best media for an actor to explore a range of emotions, Vinay says. “There is a lot of physical toil in theatre. Rehearsals are involved and you need to put in hours of practice, discipline and rigour to perfect this art. Finally, when the end result is on stage for people to see, it is pure joy. That is when you feel what you do is worth it.”
The conversation shifts to Shakespeare and his firm hold on theatre and literature even today. “Shakespeare is always relevant and relatable. His stories still ring true; they are modern and have a wide range. I have seen Shakespeare in Gujarati, Hindi, and English and he is one writer who transcends borders, language, ethnicity and religion. It is a delight to watch and be a part of his plays,” Vinay says.
Nothing like Lear was first staged in 2012, and it is nearing its 200th show.
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Nothing like Lear has employed the clown motif in this adaptation. Vinay believes a clown is a pure interpretation of human emotions. “It is not just laughter and sadness, it is a range of navarasas (emotions). A clown’s emotion is as pure as it gets.”
There is always a fool in all of Shakespeare’s plays, he continues. “There is one in Lear as well. We bring the fool in, we let him indulge and build a world around it. I interact with so many people and so many characters. Lear hasn’t been interpreted like this before,” he adds.
Nothing like Lear was first staged in 2012, and is nearing its 200th show. Vinay believes it touches people emotionally and aesthetically.
Nothing like Lear will be staged at the Bengaluru Theatre Festival at Good Shepherd Auditorium, Bengaluru on December 6, at 7pm. Tickets are available on BookMyShow.
Published – December 03, 2025 06:37 pm IST
