Yury Butusov’s “King Lear” in HD in West Newton

A special cinema screening of Yury Butusov’s “King Lear” to commemorate the tragic passing of the master director exactly one year ago. Filmed live at the Satirikon Theatre, this award-winning avant-garde masterpiece features a legendary performance by Konstantin Raikin that completely abandons conventional period grandeur. Butusov relies on a fiercely modern theatrical language to explore the breakdown of family and society, driving the production forward with erratic circus marches, white-faced clown motifs, and a total disruption of the classic fourth wall. Instead of a traditional historic tragedy, the stage becomes a dark, surrealist playground where high-energy physical choreography replaces heavy dialogue. By stripping away royal pretension in favor of vulnerable, chaotic absurdity, the show ultimately culminates not with a grand state funeral, but in a hauntingly quiet, post-apocalyptic graveyard of pianos.
Presented in Russian with English subtitles
2 hours 45 minutes (includes a 10 minute intermission)
Tuesday August 11 at 6:30 PM
West Newton Cinema
West Newton, MA
Tickets https://www.westnewtoncinema.com/movie/stage-russia-hd-king-lear