A Soviet theater troupe dares to put on Shakespeare's King Lear, but shortly before the performance, the actor playing the title role falls ill. The prop manager, a lumbering, largely silent bear of a man — completely inappropriate for the part, according to common perception — finds himself literally thrust into the spotlight. His performance becomes the talk of Moscow, and he falls under the direct scrutiny of Joseph Stalin, who controls whether the show will proceed and the actors will live to give another performance. An audacious winter's tale, The Green Lantern is an exploration of Shakespeare, the Soviet Union, and what it is to "perform," by one of the great American writers.

"In 1982, rising actor and recent Royal Shakespeare Company arrival Antony Sher played the Fool to Michael Gambon's King in the RSC's production of King Lear. Shortly after, he came back to Stratford to play Richard III - a breakthrough performance that would transform his career, winning him the Laurence Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Theatre Awards for Best Actor. Sher's record of the making of this historic theatrical event, Year of the King, has become a classic of theatre writing, a unique insight into the creation of a landmark Shakespearean performance. More than thirty years later, Antony Sher returned to Lear, this time in the title role, for the 2016 RSC production directed by Gregory Doran. Sher's performance was acclaimed by the Telegraph as 'a crowning achievement in a major career', and the show transferred from Stratford to London's Barbican. Once again, he kept a diary, capturing every step of his personal and creative journey to opening night. This book, Year of the Mad King: The Lear Diaries, is Sher's account of researching, rehearsing and performing one of Shakespeare's greatest roles. His honest, illuminating and witty commentary provides an intimate, first-hand look at the development of his Lear and the production as a whole. Also included are a selection of his paintings and sketches, many reproduced in full colour. Like his Year of the King and Year of the Fat Knight: The Falstaff Diaries before it, Year of the Mad King offers a fascinating perspective on the process of one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of his generation."--Provided by publisher.