Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford-Upon-Avon – until 8 October 2022
Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh
5*****
And so, the tension builds, like the steady gallop of his soon to be fallen horse…
Gregory Doran’s production of Richard III is as slick, disarming and gripping as the main protagonist himself. From the moment you enter The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, in all its majestic glory, you are transported back to England, the late 1500’s. Faced with a dark red walled stage, empty but for a single, ominous, imposing column at the back, we await the start of the second longest of Shakespeare’s plays with bated breath.
This production of Richard III is relentlessly savage and scintillating. Senses are assaulted by movement, music, murder and the macabre. The stagecraft is sublime, utilising colour, smoke, shadow, and silhouette, these combine to bring this woeful tale of jealousy, manipulation and deceit to life, and then death.
Arthur Hughes as Richard, commands the stage with ease, embodying every aspect of Richard from a nuanced narcissistic Duke, feeding into those who surround him with their hunger and desire to elevate their means and thus his own, to stomping sociopathic sovereign, willing to do whatever it takes to rise in rank and become king. Machiavellian in every sense, believing “The ends justify the means, Richard will not stop until he is King. A king whose paranoia consumes and overwhelms his ambition, and these ultimately lead to his undoing.
What sets this production of Richard III aside from the others, is its clever use of comedy. There are moments where we were laughing out loud and caught off guard by the humour occurring before some truly horrific events. I wasn’t expecting to be seeing such a playful, mischievous and at times endearing and likeable rogue in Richard. In the beginning it confused me. I have seen productions where they have delved into Richard grappling with the shame and abuse of ‘disability’. However, this Richard, as comedic as he seems, is skilled in his scheming, courageous in his cruel coup, not dramatically hunched and limping, he is truly portrayed as a titanic villain, and we witness this through his superbly performed soliloquies. This Richard embraces his perceived limitations and uses this to his advantage, triumphing over all those who stand in his way, until his demise. It struck me how modern and apt this production was, capturing the zeitgeist of the times, reminding us of the dangers of totalitarianism and of our duty to challenge it.
The highlight for me was Richard’s horse at the Battle of Bosworth. After being tormented the night before the battle by the ghosts of those he had fell, the horse is made up of the physical embodiments of their ghosts. Visually stunning, you are mesmerised by the choreography. Trancelike, galloping, you see exactly what and who he sacrificed to become King and at that pivotal moment, he is ready to sacrifice it all for a horse. Fear and desperation cling to him as do those he has slain as they carry his lifeless body from the stage. Powerful, this gripping climax stays with you long after curtain down.
Minnie Gale as Queen Margaret and Kirsty Bushell as Queen Elizabeth both gave incredible performances, bringing shades of light and dark to their torment and grief. The cast as a whole, came together to give a stellar performance and received a well-deserved standing ovation, but Arthur Hughes stole the show. His Richard is revolutionary in so many ways, opening doors for diversity, and bringing never before seen facets to Richard. Hughes’ Richard is a masterpiece, he struts not frets upon a stage, in a role you can visibly see and feel he relishes. Refreshing and respectful to the original text, Richard III is a triumph, leaving not a hint of discontent, this production is truly glorious.