Summer Season Synopses

Act I

Orsino, Duke of lllyria, is despairing that he is spurned by the Countess Olivia. She has forsworn men's company for seven years while she mourns the death of her brother and rebuffs all his advances. Nearby, a group of sailors arrive on shore with a young girl, Viola, whom they have rescued from a storm at sea. Viola laments the loss of her twin brother, Sebastian, in the shipwreck. She resolves to fend for herself by dressing as a boy to get work as a page to Duke Orsino.

Despite his former rejection, Orsino sends his new page Cesario (Viola in disguise) to court Olivia for him. Cesario/Viola fell in love at first sight with her master Orsino, so she goes to court Olivia unwillingly. To make matters more complicated, Olivia continues to reject Orsino but is attracted to Cesario. She sends her proud steward, Malvolio, after him with a ring. Thus, a genuine love triangle arises between Olivia, Viola/Cesario, and Orsino.

Act II

Meanwhile, members of Olivia's household plot to expose the self-love and aspirations of the steward, Malvolio. These include Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch, her servant, Maria, and Sir Toby's friend, Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Sir Andrew also happens to be seeking the hand of Olivia. Together, they use a letter to trick Malvolio into believing Olivia loves him. The letter demands that Malvolio appear in yellow stockings, cross-gartered, and smiling to show his love for Olivia. After he does so, the Countess is horrified and has Malvolio shut up in the dark as a madman. Meanwhile, Viola's twin brother, Sebastian, has also survived the shipwreck. He comes to Illyria with his sea-captain friend, Antonio, who is a wanted man for former piracy against Orsino.

Act III

Sir Andrew's affections for Olivia lead him to be jealous of Cesario, and he decides to declare a duel between them. Thanks to a prank by Sir Toby, both Andrew and Cesario believe that their opponents intend to fight to the death. They both shirk the fight. However, the sea-captain Antonio passes by and mistakes Cesario for Sebastian, and intervenes to defend his friend. He is recognised by Orsino's men and arrested.  Later, Sebastian comes along and is challenged by Sir Andrew, who thinks he is Cesario. Sebastian, trained in combat, wins the fight. But Olivia intervenes and invites Sebastian into the house, also thinking him to be Cesario (this is clearly a common mistake). Olivia and Sebastian are married that night. 

Act IV

Malvolio, held in the dungeon for being a madman, is psychologically tortured by Maria, Sir Toby, and Feste, the court fool. Feste dresses up as a priest to convince Malvolio that he is, in fact, mad. After realising that they might get into trouble for treating Malvolio this way, they allow him a pen and paper to be able to write a letter to Olivia. 

Act V

Antonio is brought to talk with Orsino, and upon seeing Cesario, he accuses him of betrayal. Just then, the real Sebastian arrives to apologise for fighting Sir Toby. The twins see each other and discover that they are both alive. Orsino's fool, Feste, brings a letter from Malvolio, and on his release, Maria's letter is revealed to be fraudulent. Malvolio departs promising revenge. Maria and Sir Toby have already married in celebration of the success of their plot against the steward.

The play ends as Orsino approves the union between Olivia and Sebastian.  Realising his own attraction to 'Cesario', Orsino promises that once Viola is dressed as a woman again, they will be married as well.

King Lear begins as the Earl of Gloucester introduces his illegitimate son, Edmund, to the Earl of Kent. Lear, King of Britain, enters with his court. Now that he is an old man, Lear has decided to divide his kingdom between his three daughters. The division will depend on the quality of each princess' declarations of love for her father before the court. Goneril, Duchess of Albany, and Regan, Duchess of Cornwall, both speak enthusiastically and earn their father's praise. But Cordelia, the youngest, says nothing because she cannot voice her deep love for Lear. Misunderstanding his daughter, Lear disowns and banishes her from the kingdom. He also banishes the Earl of Kent, who had taken Cordelia's side against the King.

This action by the king divides the kingdom, both figuratively and literally. Cordelia's suitor, the Duke of Burgundy, rejects her once she is dowerless, but the King of France values her honesty and takes her as his wife. Lear's kingdom is shared between Goneril and Regan and their suitors (the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall, respectively). Lear plans to alternate living with each of them.

Act II

Meanwhile, Edmund is determined to be recognised as a rightful son of Gloucester. By a trick, he persuades his father that his legitimate brother, Edgar, is plotting against Gloucester's life. Warned by Edmund that his life is in danger, Edgar flees and takes the disguise of a Bedlam beggar. Edmund becomes a courtier to Goneril. Goneril meanwhile grows increasingly exasperated by the behaviour of Lear's hundred companions who are upsetting her life at Albany's castle, and she criticises her father. 

Kent has returned from exile in disguise and wins a place as a servant to Lear. Kent accompanies Lear when, in a rage against her criticisms, he curses Goneril and leaves. Lear goes, unannounced, to live with Regan and Cornwall who, it turns out, have gone out to visit Gloucester. When Lear arrives at Gloucester's house to find Regan, she spurns him and his followers, namely his devoted companion, the Fool.

Act III

Despairing for his daughters, and deeply regretting rejecting Cordelia, Lear goes mad at the height of a great storm. He and the Fool run wild on the heath until Gloucester takes them into a hut for shelter. He then seeks the aid of Kent to get them away to the coast, where Cordelia has landed with a French army to fight for her father against her sisters and their husbands. Gloucester then leaves and returns home. 

Meanwhile, Edmund is employed as a messenger between the sisters and is courted by each in turn. He persuades Cornwall that Gloucester (his father) is an enemy because he has been in touch with France and helped Lear and when they are turned away by Regan. As punishment for Gloucester's seeming betrayal, Cornwall and Regan pluck out his eyes and abandon him. During the act of blinding Gloucester, a servant stabs Cornwall, who dies. But Regan continues to rule with Edmund's help. 

Act IV

Out in the storm, Lear finds shelter where Edgar has also taken refuge, still disguised as the beggar. The Fool, the mad king, and the disguised "insane" beggar become unlikely companions before they are separated. Edgar finds Gloucester wandering the heath alone and in agony. Since his father is blind, Edgar leads the despairing man to the coast and helps him along the journey to come to an acceptance of his life. Gloucester later meets the mad Lear on Dover beach, near Cordelia's camp. With Kent's aid, Lear is rescued and re-united with Cordelia. Gloucester, now reunited with Edgar, dies quietly alone.

Act V

The French forces are overcome by Albany's army led by Edmund, and Lear and Cordelia are captured. Goneril has already poisoned Regan in their jealous rivalry over Edmund's attention. Edgar, disguised now as a loyal knight, challenges Edmund to a duel and wounds him mortally. Seeing no way out, Goneril kills herself, and the dying Edmund confesses his misdeeds and releases Cordelia. However, it is too late to save Cordelia from the hangman. Lear's heart breaks as he carries the body of his beloved youngest daughter in his arms, and he dies. Albany and Edgar are left to re-organise the kingdom and resolve the civil wars.

The play opens in King Richard's court, as Henry Bolingbroke, son of Gaunt (the Duke of Lancaster), challenges Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk. Henry accuses Mowbray of being involved in the recent death of the King's uncle (who is also Henry's uncle; Henry and the King are cousins). Richard gives in to their demands to work out their differences in one-on-one combat at Coventry. 

As the tournament begins, the uncertain and impulsive Richard stops the contest. Instead Richard chooses to exile both Henry and Mowbray. He banishes Mowbray for life. And responding to Henry's father Lancaster's pleas, he limits Henry's exile to six years.

Act II

In line with his customary behaviour, Richard is misled by his friends into poor government of the country. Henry's father, Gaunt, dies, finally broken by his son's banishment, and by the state of the kingdom under Richard's rule. Richard takes possession of Gaunt's land and money. It turns out that he has also been leasing out royal land. Both of these monetary acquisitions have helped him to fund wars with Ireland. His nobles are dismayed, not only because of the waste of the kingdom's money but also for fear over the security of their own estates. 

To make matters worse, Richard leaves on an expedition to Ireland. When Henry hears that his father has died and that Richard took his inheritance, he returns from exile with an invading army. The commoners and nobles are already critical of Richard. They welcome Henry in the north, led by the powerful Earl of Northumberland, Henry Percy. Henry marches through England, gathering his willing forces. 

Act III

Richard arrives back after the Irish war to find that his Welsh allies have dispersed. Furthermore, his cousin, Duke of York, unable to prevent Henry's triumphant return, has joined him instead. Some more of Richard's friends have also betrayed the King's cause. Others have been executed on Henry's orders. After taking refuge at Flint castle, Richard surrenders and agrees to go to London, where the lords will decide what should happen next. 

Act IV-V

In view of the insurrections against him, King Richard is persuaded to step down in favour of Henry Bolingbroke, now King Henry IV. Richard hands over his crown in a ceremony. Henry subsequently imprisons him in Pontefract castle. Richard's queen is sent home to France. Some lords join in a plot against Henry but York, the father of one of the nobles, relates their machinations to Henry. Henry spares the son of York, but he is now aware of his tenuous position as king.

Henry implies to Exton that he would like to be rid of his threats, and Exton then murders Richard. He brings the body to London. Henry claims innocence, blaming Exton for misunderstanding his intentions. The play ends as King Henry banishes Exton, orders a funeral for Richard, and swears to make reparation for his cousin's death by going on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

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