Get Out More ………………….Theatre review

RICHARD III, RSC, STRATFORD

26-01-2007

It finishes in the middle of February, so time's running out if you want to see it, but Paula Elenor has a hunch that the current Richard III will be remembered as a classic.

Double-dealing, interminable scheming, in-fighting and jostling for power in the crucial period that precedes succession. An episode of The Sopranos? New Labour? No - Shakespeare's Richard III currently playing at The Courtyard Theatre, at Stratford- Upon -Avon.

The RSC's current production is intelligent, inventive and witty - I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It is hard to perform this play indifferently, anyway. Shakespeare's Richard is audacious, ruthless AND he lets the audience share the sheer pleasure he gets from doing his very dirty work.

We can't help but be fascinated by the audaciousness of the way he woos Anne - even as she mourns her husband who was killed by Richard. We revel in his skills as an actor and dissembler, but we are also terrified by his brutality - his brother and two nephews are casually disposed of when they stand in his way.

Jonathan Slinger's performance makes much of Richard's cleverness, but also his bitter misogyny and contempt for the people he tricks and destroys. I feel that Michael Boyd, the director, has maintained the right balance between presenting Richard as the grotesque, evil cypher of Shakespeare's Tudor propaganda and, also exploring the more psychological dimensions of the character - as the younger son always seeking the attention and approval of his father, Richard of York.

This play is the last of the original cycle of four plays written by Shakespeare presenting the period of civil turmoil known as the Wars of the Roses - the first three being Henry VIth parts 1, 2 and 3.

I was privileged to see the RSC's productions of the Henrys performed on ONE day in December - they were brilliant! This Richard III can be enjoyed as a stand -alone production, but to my mind, it really comes into its own, when the director draws our attention to the cyclic nature of the four plays by some stunning visual and verbal references to the earlier productions.

This quartet is rarely performed today as part of a cycle. But they made Shakespeare's reputation in his day - they were massively popular and much performed. The RSC has performed them in exactly the right way --as ensemble pieces and The Courtyard space is used to great effect.

So, I have found yet another good reason to feel good about living in Birmingham - easy access to see world class productions like these at Stratford.!

The production runs until 15th Feb. For more details check out www.rsc.org.uk

Fancy reviewing something you've seen or heard for The Stirrer?

email editor@thestirrer.com