Review: Richard III
By Dan Bavister
“Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this sun of York”. So begins William Shakespeare’s Richard III, this production gracing the acclaimed boards of Shakespeare’s Globe, near London’s South Bank. The location seems to pulsate with the rich history and enduring resonance of this play, with this production executed with grace, sophistication and a clearly political verve.
Richard III is a powerful tale of one man’s murderous lengths to seize power over the English realm. Shakespeare’s second-longest play (just behind Hamlet by some 300 lines) was written between 1592 and 1594, and has gone on to capture the political imaginations of successive generations of theatregoers.
Terry’s rendition of Richard is compelling and thought-provoking
Olivier Award-winning actress and the Globe’s Artistic Director, Michelle Terry, takes the titular lead, in a move that proved controversial among some quarters, with charges made that a disabled actor would have proven a more authentic casting. While this is a legitimate and ongoing discussion, Terry’s rendition of Richard is compelling and thought-provoking, deserving of high praise.
The almost exclusively female cast, led by Terry, presents an implicit interrogation of toxic masculinity, an approach that we have come to expect from the ceaselessly innovative Globe. The formidable acting talent on show is masterfully directed by Elle White, who is the Globe’s associate artist and returns to the Globe following her “riveting” (The Telegraph) 2023 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The excellent musical accompaniment, that serves to highlight the pomp and pageantry of each courtly scene, is composed by James Maloney (Hamlet, Shakespeare’s Globe).
White’s direction presents the toxic masculinity of Richard as central to the play’s examination of power. Terry’s comically overblown violent personality combines with subtle references that shimmer with contemporary relevance, from musings on strongmen leaders, through to cruder ruminations of a more overtly Trumpian nature – including a call to “Make Britain Great Again”.
At times the play feels consumed by horror, featuring successive violent deaths, drownings, decapitations and the deaths of children, that unites to form a cohesive catalogue of gruesome crimes and misdemeanours. Amidst this, are more sombre moments of reflection and grievous mourning, where the production sparkles with appropriate authenticity and gravitas.
[Richard III is] a fast-paced, energetic and captivating performance
Terry is ably supported by an emotive and nuanced performance from Marianne Oldham (Holby City) as Queen Elizabeth, her elaborate hair, pearl necklace and dress of creams and golds the work of the immensely talented designer, E. M. Parry (Rotterdam). Oldham forms part of a wider, incredibly able cast, that includes Helen Schlesinger (Straight Line Crazy) as Buckingham, Kibong Tanji (Tina – The Tina Turner Musical) as Clarence and Stanley, and Sarah Finigan (Suffragette) as King Edward and Mayor.
Terry’s donning prosthetic six pack, body armour and laughably phallic codpiece all imbue this performance with a decided ironic comedy. While clearly critical of toxic masculinity, this production seemed at times to confusedly grasp at genre tropes, its important message, regrettably, somewhat muddied by this.
However, while this production deserves greater fullness of vision in some areas, overall, it is a fast-paced, energetic and captivating performance. While complexified by controversy, this production has done its cast and crew proud – I would certainly encourage all those in London this summer to attend.
Richard III is in performance at the Shakespeare’s Globe, London until 3rd August. Tickets are available here.
Image credit: Shakespeare’s Globe
