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
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