Review: Richard III at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon
It seems appropriate that Richard III is the first Shakespeare play I’m reviewing on this site, since it’s also the first Shakespeare play I ever saw performed live. I wasn’t impressed the first time. I was about 14, I hadn’t read or studied the play so I didn’t understand most of it… oh, and the production was terrible. Some truly baffling choices involving chainmail underwear-style armour is the main thing that sticks in my mind about it.
Having since read the play and learned much more about what makes a good Shakespeare production versus a bad one, it was great to see Richard III for the second time, performed last night by the inimitable Royal Shakespeare Company at their home in Stratford Upon Avon.
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre Auditorium. Photo by Peter Cook © RSC.
What’s it about?
The War of the Roses is over and Edward IV has been crowned King. But his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is jealous and plans to take the throne for himself. He persuades the noblewoman Lady Anne (widow of the murdered Prince Edward) to marry him and has his brother George, Duke of Clarence, first imprisoned in the Tower of London and then killed.
When King Edward dies, leaving behind two young sons, Richard is named Lord Protector until his oldest nephew comes of age. But Richard is ruthless, going after anyone he perceives to be standing in his way, from his young nephews (the famous Princes in the Tower) to his own wife. Meanwhile, the Lancastrian Earl of Richmond is raising an army to challenge Richard.
Any content notes?
The Royal Shakespeare Company has helpfully put out a comprehensive content advisory for this production of Richard III. (Can all theatres start doing this, please and thank you?) To summarise:
Themes of war, death, murder, and the abuse of power throughout, including the deaths of two children.
Violence including sword fighting, strangulation, and spitting.
Blood and severed heads are seen.
A latex balloon is popped and rolls into the first few rows of stalls seats. The theatre requests that you advise them on arrival if you have a latex allergy.
Smoke and fire are used on stage.
One word of caution when booking: Richard III is very, very long (fun fact: by word count, it’s the second longest of all Shakespeare’s plays, beaten only by Hamlet.) This production runs at well over 3 hours including the interval, and the first half is close to 2 hours long. Bear this in mind when choosing your seats as my back was really struggling in the high upper circle seats by the end.
Richard III: My Review
There are many things I want to praise about this production, but I think I have to start with the casting. Arthur Hughes, best known for his roles on TV series The Innocents and radio drama The Archers, identifies as limb different and is the first disabled actor to play the iconic role of the disabled King Richard at the RSC.
Arthur Hughes as Richard III. Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC.
Hughes delivers a mesmerising performance, raising laughs with Richard’s witty retorts amidst a genuinely chilling depiction of this amoral psychopath’s descent into tyranny. He brings a slick charm to the role, which makes his character all the more sinister when the mask slips and his true nature is laid bare. The scene in which Richard pretends to refuse the crown in order to gain public sympathy was hilarious, while his descent into madness on his last night alive was visceral and haunting.
Richard III features a large cast and I could happily praise every one of them individually for their performances. Eloise Secker covered the role of Queen Elizabeth and delivered a powerful portrayal of a mother and wife racked with grief yet still strong and determined enough to repeatedly face down her enemy. Claire Benedict, as Richard’s mother the Duchess of York, was heartbreakingly good, regal yet vulnerable and raw. And Minnie Gale brings a wild physicality to Queen Margaret, perhaps the quintessential example of a woman who is written off as “crazy” and yet everything she says turns out to be true.
Minnie Gale as Queen Margaret. Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC.
The play is presented on a vast, sparse stage, dominated by an imposing cenotaph, looming over the action. Resembling the London Cenotaph (erected in 1920 and representing casualties from the First and Second World Wars as well as other conflicts), it serves as a symbol of the futility of war and the bloodshed that occurs when people relentlessly pursue power.
From our upper circle vantage point (“up in the gods”, as they say), we got a wonderful view of the shadowy effects created by this staging and the show’s lighting design. The simplicity of the set strips the production back to its true power: Shakespeare’s wonderful text in the hands of great actors.
While it was an interesting choice, the use of a video camera on stage during Ricard and Richmond’s pre-battle speeches in the second half (which then projected their faces, up close, onto the cenotaph) didn’t really work for me. It felt out of place with the rest of the staging and style of the production, and the video was slightly but noticeably out of sync with the actor.
Richard III is a stark reminder of what happens when people chase power at all costs and tyrants are allowed to rise, and it remains as relevant today as it has ever been.
Where to get tickets
Richard III runs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford Upon Avon until this Saturday, 8 October 2022. Get tickets from the theatre.