Shakespeare’s tale of the roots of the War of The Roses gets zhuzhed up in this creative new production.
Richard II tells the story of the final years of the monarch’s reign and the ascent of Henry Bolingbroke, and is the first of four plays that lead up to Henry V.
Director Sabrina Poole has taken a red pen to the text, axing several scenes and combining characters, adding in some battle scenes and borrowing from some of the Bard’s other plays, including Hamlet and Henry IV Part Two. Gender-blind casting sees Henry played by Ruby Bardwell-Dix.
Some of the changes work – it’s quite a long play, so some edits are welcome – but others less so. Swapping the opening scene of Richard (Jez Pike) on the throne to have John of Gaunt (David Newham) and Duchess of Gloucester (Sharmaine Pullman) discover her husband’s murder makes Gaunt oddly cold at his brother’s death. Richard’s fickle nature gets a different complexion by allowing Bollingbroke and Mowbray (James Thompson) to start their duel, rather than halting it before it can start.
Despite the cuts and compressions there is still a 18-strong cast, delivering many enjoyable performances.
Pike is a haughty, cruel, and slightly manic monarch and roams the Sewell Barn’s intimate stage with assurance, flashing looks and throwing arch asides at the audience.
Bardwell-Dix does well with the text and Poole’s added physicality, but sometimes feels more administrator than passionate rebellion leader.
Richard Carey-Knight brings great depth to the Duke of York, and Jane Keidan is a righteous and venomous Bishop of Carlisle. Newham has a voice destined to deliver the sceptred isle speech, and doesn’t disappoint.
This is a rare chance to catch one of Shakespeare’s lesser performed plays, with plenty of unique quirks to challenge those more familiar with the piece.
Richard II continues at Sewell Barn Theatre, Norwich until 25 January 2025
