Spingold was lit up with powerful acting and gorgeous costumes Friday night, sweeping the audience into a tale of madness, betrayal and the eventual discovery of love in a new adaptation of William Shakespeare's King Lear, presented by the theater department.King Lear is the story of Lear (Michael Hammond) who divides his kingdom among his three daughters according to how much they say they love him. Goneril and Regan, played by Shaneesa Sweeney (GRAD) and Jessica Hansen (GRAD), say they love him more than riches, but Cordelia, played by Angie Jepson (GRAD), says words cannot express her love.

The pompous Lear is furious, and dismisses Cordelia, only awarding inheritances to her sisters. In a subplot, the Duke of Gloucester's (Liz Terry, EQUITY) land is also in demand by his sons Edgar and Edmund, played by Timothy Espinoza (GRAD) and Diomedes Koufteros (GRAD), who engineer cunning tricks to play on their father as they compete to obtain his property.

Theater department chair Eric Hill directed, adapting King Lear's setting to a hospital juxtaposing characters in medical gowns with others dressed in Shakespearean garb.

At first the contrast seemed awkward. However, it became more believable as the show continued. By the finale, the unique setting made Shakespeare's themes much more powerful.

In general, the cast was superb. Hammond was particularly spectacular in conveying the pain of growing older. Whether at the height of his power or sadly realizing his mistakes, his face displayed a full range of emotions.

The entire cast worked impressively with Hammond. It was hard to tell the cast was made up of both students and professionals, and it was obvious that working together with professionals was beneficial to the less experienced student actors.

The characters Goneril and Regan were both brilliantly malevolent and sinfully delightful to watch. Jepson's portrayal of Cordelia was relatively mild, partially due to the character's minimal stage time. However, Jepson's true talent shined through in her portrayal of the Fool, a jester whose jokes and songs provided the play's comic relief.

Espinosa's portrayal of Edgar was hilarious and well-punctuated by sprightly and comic movements. Koufteros as Edward, who spends much of the play disguised as the brooding Edgar, was both sensual and cunning. Terry's performance as the Duke of Gloucester was also exceptional in lamenting the rift between his sons and the pain of dependency after being blinded later in the play.

Nurses and internists added to the play's starkness, occasionally performing abstract hand motions to enhance their performances. However, they ultimately served more to confuse audience members than to truly add to the play.

Elaborate costumes, designed by Jessica Risser Milne (GRAD), were astounding. The Elizabethan clothing was colorful, contrasting the simple, white costumes designed for the hospital patients. The special effects were also memorable: When Gloucester's eyes were gouged out by a drill, for example, the spurts of blood were disturbingly effective.

The set, designed by Andrea Heilman (GRAD), was as plain as the hospital costumes, allowing the audience to concentrate on the characters. But what ultimately made the adaptation's setting work was the impeccable performance of the actors, whose work was well-complemented by the period-spanning costumes. With moments both tragic and humorous, King Lear was a resounding success.