Tangle, in association with MAST Mayflower Studios, is proud to announce CAST and CREATIVES for Richard the Second
MAST Mayflower Studios, Southampton, Thu 20 – Sat 22 October | Swindon Arts Centre, Tue 25 October) | Barnfield Theatre, Exeter,Fri 28 October | Taunton Brewhouse,
Sun 30 October | Chulmleigh College, Devon,Tue 1 November | Gillingham School Theatre, Dorset,Wed 2 November | Theatre Royal Winchester,Thu 3 November | Lighthouse, Poole,Fri 4 November | Pegasus, Oxford,Sat 5 November | Omnibus Theatre, London,Wed 9 – Sun 27 November
A nation is in turmoil. Three first cousins – Richard, Aumerle and Henry – battle for the supreme position of authority. Who will succeed in saving their country from a trail of ultimate destruction? And who will survive the challenge for the throne?
Tangle, a touring theatre company championing African and Caribbean artistic excellence,presents a radical and electrifying new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Richard The Second performed in its distinctive Southern African Township theatre style.
Produced in association with MAST Mayflower Studios, and adapted and directed by Tangle Artistic Director Anna Coombs, the production will open at MAST on Thu 20 October 2022, tour venues across South West England from 20 October to 5 November, and run for 3 weeks at the Omnibus Theatre in London from 9 – 27 November. Tickets across all venues are now on sale. Continuing Tangle’s ambition to perform classic plays in new and surprising ways to audiences of all kinds, Richard the Second – Shakespeare’s historical drama exploring the politics of power and family alliances – has been adapted for a multi-skilled ensemble of five actors, with three actors playing multiple characters across the show.
Aumerle will be played by South African actor and director Lebogang Fisher, while Richard will be portrayed by 2021 LAMDA graduate Daniel Rock, in his professional stage debut. Sharing the roles of Henry & Scroop is Antiguan-born actor Raheim Menzies; Mowbray, York, Gardener will be played by the Eswatini/South African veteran Sibusiso Mamba; and Gaunt, Northumberland and Gardener, by Courtney Winston.
With an original score of Zimbabwean music and song composed by John Pfumojena; sound design by double BBT award winner Tony Gayle; set & costume design by Colin Falconer; and lighting design by Hansjörg Schmidt, this new production offers a fast, powerful and fresh take on this state of the nation play, while celebrating talented artists whose multi-national voices are at the centre of Tangle’s work.
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Anna Coombs, Artistic Director, Tangle, said, “We are excited to be presenting Richard The Second to audiences this autumn. I have always loved this play. Its power dynamics reflect so neatly our current situation, not only in this country but in communities across the world. Tangle’s production offers a fresh contemporary reflection on the state of our nation and will also celebrate the excellence of globally talented artists whose multi-national voices are at the centre of the work.
We are thrilled to have support from MAST Mayflower Studios, enabling us to deepen engagement with audiences in Southampton, South West England and nationally. I hope that this extraordinary story about the politics of power will inspire audiences of all ages, stages, cultures and backgrounds.”
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Michael Ockwell, Chief Executive, Mayflower Theatre, said, “We are delighted to be supporting our associate company Tangle with this ambitious and thought-provoking production. We have developed a close relationship with Anna and her team, and they are a key partner in how we ensure our organisation reflects and serves our local community.”
Alongside the production, Tangle has created a fully illustrated Discovery Pack for schools, teachers, youth groups and young people in general. The pack features an introduction to the play and its themes, Tangle’s unique approach to theatre making, and interviews with creatives involved in the show. Launching in September Tangle also presents a new digital participation project Seize The Crown; inviting spoken word video responses to John of Gaunt’s famous speech ‘This royal throne of kings, this scepter’d isle…’. Tangle is inviting individuals, community groups, youth theatres and schools to submit their own responses via social media using the hashtag #seizethecrown to be shared on the company’s website and social media.
Championing African and Caribbean artistic excellence, Tangle’s touring productions, Discovery projects, and artist development schemes, including KUKURA – a programme designed for companies who want to change their working culture for good and technical development scheme AMPLIFY, offering paid mentoring and workplace training for freelancers – provide a vital access point for diverse and often isolated communities, artists and audiences to come together. Tangle has a particular specialism of touring to and working in rural areas that have, historically, seen little multicultural representation.
TOUR DATES – click on links for direct access to each venue’s ticket booking page
MAST Mayflower Studios, Southampton
Thu 20 – Sat 22 October
mayflowerstudios.org.uk | 02380 711 833
Swindon Arts Centre
Tue 25 October
swindontheatres.co.uk | 0343 310 0040
Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Fri 28 October
exeternorthcott.co.uk | 01392 72 63 63
Taunton Brewhouse
Sun 30 October
tauntonbrewhouse.co.uk | 01823 283 244
Chulmleigh College, Devon
Tue 1 November
beaford.org
Gillingham School Theatre, Dorset
Wed 2 November
artsreach.co.uk | 01747 213 203
Theatre Royal Winchester
Thu 3 November
theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk | 01962 840 440
Lighthouse, Poole
Fri 4 November
lighthousepoole.co.uk | 01202 280 000
Pegasus, Oxford
Sat 5 November
pegasustheatre.org.uk | 01865 812150
Omnibus Theatre, London
Wed 9 – Sun 27 November
omnibus-clapham.org | 0207 498 4699
CAST & COMPANY
Lebogang Fisher, Sibusiso Mamba, Raheim Menzies, Daniel Rock, Courtney Wilson
PRODUCED by Tangle in association with MAST Mayflower Studios
ADAPTED AND DIRECTED by Anna Coombs
TECHNICAL CONSULTANT Mark Dakin
SET & COSTUME DESIGNER Colin Falconer
SOUND DESIGNER Tony Gayle
ADMINISTRATIVE PRODUCER Milan Govedarica
FINANCE AND PRODUCING CONSULTANT Thomas Kell
LIGHTING PROGRAMMER Pierce McFarlane
COSTUME SUPERVISOR Claire Nicolas
PRESS & MARKETING Ariane Oiticica
COMPOSER & MUSICAL DIRECTOR John Pfumojena
DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER Daniel Roach-Williams
LIGHTING DESIGNER Hansjörg Schmidt
PRODUCTION MANAGER Neil Starke
ASSOCIATE SOUND DESIGNER Ali Taie
COMPANY STAGE MANAGER Brent Tan
FIGHT DIRECTOR Jonathan Waller
FILMMAKER Nye Williams
PHOTOGRAPHERS Adiam Yemane and Bettina Adela