Join Sam Gibbs, Brittany Chandler, Nicholas Koy Santillo and Ariana Karp as we delve into Shakespeare's lyrical masterpiece, Richard II. In this episode we introduce the genre of "the history play." We also situate Richard II as the beginning of the Shakespeare history tetrology commonly known as "The Henriad". This is also one of Shakespeare's only plays that is completely in verse! What is the significance of that?
We discuss the production history of Richard, the movement from recreations of medieval pageantry and pomp to the psychological realism of the last 20 years. The lens of focus of this production will be on Kingship as a role to be played and the inherent theatricality of the play.
Richard Pasco and Ian Richardson from John Barton's 1973 RSC production of Richard II. Bolingbroke and Richard as mirrors of each other, the two actors switched off who played Richard II and who played Bolingbroke each night.