ALTON Fringe Theatre loves a challenge and, with this in mind, its next production is William Shakespeare’s King Lear.

To be staged in the Wessex Arts Centre at Alton College on November 29-30 and December 1-2, the production is directed by Chris Chappell and Cath Gerlach, who delight in bringing a story to life.

Chris said: “From the very beginning we wanted this play to really speak to the audience.

“So we’ve cut it by a third, added loads of actions and hyped up the comedy. Five brilliant new actors have joined our superb group. They all know how to put across powerful emotions, such as lust, greed and forgiveness.”

And he added: “This is the story of an ageing king and his three daughters. He seeks to divide his kingdom, but soon one daughter is banished and the other two are quick to enrage him when he visits their palace.

“We can all empathise with an elderly father who wants a quiet life in his dotage. Similarly, we all feel for adult daughters when an ageing parent comes to stay and criticises everything they do.

“Both are common occurrences in most families. But this is a royal family and the tensions erupt politically, socially and economically across a kingdom.”

Performances start at 7.30pm each night and tickets at £10 (£8 for 18s and under) are available from Waterstone’s on Alton High Street.