The play The King’s Fall, written by Jalal Tehrani, is a modern, bitter, and philosophical reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear. It explores the decline of power, the limits of legitimacy, the rule of “tradition reing,” and the seductive pull of words within family relationships.
The story begins with the aging King Lear, who, weary of ruling, decides to divide his realm among his children. He makes each child’s share conditional on how much love and devotion they profess.
Goneril, the elder daughter, feigns boundless love through flattery and excess, and wins a third of the land. Edgar (in this work, Lear’s legitimate son) also receives his share. But Cordelia, the younger daughter, refuses to put on a show. When the king asks for her answer, she stays silent and says “nothing,” which enrages Lear and leaves her stripped of both inheritance and power.