Richard III

As with most of Shakespeare's plays, there are multiple names for the works, from full titles with subtitles, to shortened titles like this one. In this case Richard III is perhaps most commonly used title for the play.

The play and its history

The earliest certain performance occurred on 16 or 17 November 1633, when Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria watched it on the Queen's birthday. The Diary of Philip Henslowe records a popular play he calls Buckingham, performed in December 1593 and January 1594, which might have been Shakespeare's play.

Colley Cibber produced the most successful of the Restoration adaptations of Shakespeare with his version of Richard III, at Drury Lane starting in 1700. Cibber himself played the role till 1739, and his version was on stage for the next century and a half.

The role has been a favourite of actors throughout the ages.

Notable for South African theatre was the performance by Antony Sher at Stratford in 1985, where he played it on crutches. He wrote his famous diary about his preparation for the role, published as The Year of the King.

South African productions

PACOFS, in association with the Bloemfontein Shakespeare Circle, 196*/7*, directed by Jo Gevers, with Jo Gevers, Annatjie Vorster, Marlene Kotzen, *** Bloemfontein Civic Theatre.

The Tragedy of Richard III National Arts Festival 2010 Presented by Abrahamse Meyer Productions in association with the National Arts Festival Directed by Fred Abrahamse, with David Dennis, Marcel Meyer, Anelisa Phewa. The production is played as a fast-paced political thriller utilizing the small company of three actors in multiople roles, with masks by Izelle Grobler and the puppets by Hillette Stapelberg. It premièred at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in 2010 last year. Ismail Mahomed, Director of the National Arts Festival, rated Richard III as the most inventive production he saw in 2010. It was also one of the highlights at the South African Schools Festival receiving an overwhelming response from both learners and teachers. Both David Dennis and Marcel Meyer have notable experience as classical actors. Three of David Dennis’ five Fleur du Cap awards have been for Shakespearean roles in Twelfth Night (Malvolio), The Taming of the Shrew (Hortensio) and as Launce and various others in Marthinus Basson’s production of Two Gentlemen of Verona at Maynardville. Meyer’s credits include Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, the villainous Don John in Much Ado About Nothing both at Maynardville and Rosencrantz in Janet Suzman’s production of Hamlet, which was performed as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works Festival in Stratford-upon-Avon. Director Fred Abrahamse, who has also designed the set and lighting, has directed some of the most successful and accessible productions of Shakespeare in South Africa. His long list of credits include: the Handspring Puppet Company production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the 2002 Maynardville production of Dream, Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet both at Maynardville.

After years of civil war between the royal houses of York and Lancaster, King Edward IV is on the throne. His youngest brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester plots to become king. First he has his brother Clarence killed and then he seduces and marries Lady Anne, daughter-in-law of the deposed and murdered King Henry VI. When King Edward IV dies of natural causes, Richard, aided by his cousin the Duke of Buckingham, plots to succeed him. Queen Elizabeth, widow of Edward IV, mistrusts Richard and is proved right when he has her brothers Rivers and Grey executed. Richard then has Elizabeth’s two young sons imprisoned in the Tower of London. He declares them bastards and seizes the throne. Once crowned, Richard orders the murder of the two young princes. Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, heir to the House of Lancaster, prepares to invade England. The night before the battle the ghosts of all his victims haunt Richard. The following day he is killed in battle at Bosworth Field. Richmond becomes Henry VII and marries Elizabeth of York, finally uniting the houses of Lancaster and York, and thus ending the War of the Roses.

History is filled with despotic leaders who have risen to power and then succumbed to megalomania, paranoia and corruption. Across Africa and the world, corruption and political power struggles are rife. The exploration of this theme and examination of why power corrupts is particularly pertinent to South Africa today.

Direction: Fred Abrahamse

Set and Lighting Design: Fred Abrahamse
Costume Design:  Marcel Meyer
Puppets: Hillette Stapelberg
Masks: Izelle Grobler

Sources

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_III_(play)

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