WHAT’S ON
Nearly Lear
Nearly Lear
BOOK TICKETS.
BOOK TICKETS.
No lift access to performance studio.
No refunds or exchanges on tickets purchased.
This is an Independent Hire event.EVENT DETAILS
Friday 8th May 2026
£18/£16
7:30pm
Duration: 80 mins (no interval)
Guidance: 12+
“Extraordinary…A magical, world-class theatrical experience ★★★★★”
Performed by Susanna Hamnett
Written and adapted from Shakespeare by Susanna Hamnett & Edith Tankus
Directed by Edith Tankus Additional direction by Steve MacGregor
What if the great and tragic story of King Lear were told through the eyes of his closest companion? In this dynamic one-woman tour-de-force, Susanna Hamnett plays the Fool (and every other character) to tell a story that – with an exuberant blend of tragedy and humour – honours Shakespeare’s language while taking a bit of poetic licence. By turns poignant, mischievous, tragic, and hilarious, Nearly Lear is a very personal journey into the heart of Shakespeare’s play.
This award-winning and internationally acclaimed ‘mighty theatrical force’ has enthralled audiences from Toronto to Aberdeen, and from Broadway and the Kennedy Center to the Sydney Opera House. It is the winner of the prestigious IPAY Victor Award for Outstanding Production, was named a 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Outstanding Production, and in 2024 won the Best Show Award at the Riverside Studios London Bitesize Festival.
“The show was extraordinary in its fineness. So detailed, skilled and full of heart and humanity…the reimagining of Lear was beautiful.”
CLOWNING WORKSHOP
CLOWNING WORKSHOP
BOOK TICKETS.
BOOK TICKETS.
No lift access to performance studio.
No refunds or exchanges on tickets purchased.
This is an Independent Hire event.To be a clown is to embrace the freedom and joy of your own glorious foolishness.
There is a clown that lives inside each of us. This clown is full of life - it is beautiful and hilarious.
This introductory workshop is a chance to invite your clown out to play. To jump into a space of presence, chaos and delight, and discover more of what makes each of us uniquely funny and loveable.
The clown reunites us with our innate curiosity and allows us to befriend parts of ourselves that we judge or stifle. It invites us to rediscover wonder.
Susanna Hamnett fell in love with the open-heartedness of the clown over thirty years ago when she began studying and working with master clowns John Turner and Michael Kennard in Toronto, and it has infused her theatre work and teaching ever since.
This workshop is suitable for anyone 18 and up. No previous experience of clown or theatre needed. It is limited to 18 participants
Warning: this workshop carries a high risk of laughter and fun.
You can read more about Susanna’s work here: www.susannahamnett.com
Please note: if you sign up for the workshop, I will write to you towards the end of April with more information (what to wear, what to bring etc), so do look out for an email from this address: susannadayhamnett@gmail.com