King Lear is one of Shakespeare''s most performed and studied plays - seen as one of the most significant and universal tragedies of all time. This guide introduces the play''s critical and performance history, including notable stage productions alongside TV, film and radio versions.  It includes a keynote chapter outlining major areas of current research on the play and four new critical essays.  Finally, a guide to critical, web-based and production-related resources and an annotated bibliography provide a basis for further individual research.