THE PLAY IN PERFORMANCE
Brooke, Michael, “Richard III on Screen,” www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1022653/index.html. Valuable overview of film and TV versions.
Day, Gillian, King Richard III, Shakespeare at Stratford (2002). Survey of productions.
Hankey, Julie, ed., King Richard III, Plays in Performance (1981). Innovative edition annotated by means of reference to choices of actors and productions down the ages.
Holland, Peter, English Shakespeares: Shakespeare on the English Stage in the 1990s (1997). Discusses key modern productions.
Jackson, Russell, and Robert Smallwood, eds., Players of Shakespeare 3 (1993). Includes interview with Penny Downie on playing Margaret in the Henry VI/Richard III tetralogy.
O’Connor, John, Shakespearean Afterlives: Ten Characters with a Life of Their Own (2003). Lively account of some historic Richards.
Richmond, Hugh M., King Richard III, Shakespeare in Performance (1989). Useful overview.
Royal Shakespeare Company, “Exploring Shakespeare: Richard III,” www.rsc.org.uk/explore/plays/richard3.htm. Rehearsal footage, actor and director interviews, commentary on Michael Boyd’s 2007 production.
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Study Materials, Richard III in Performance by Rebecca Brown, www.shakespeare.org.uk/content/view/315/315/.
Sher, Antony, Year of the King (1985). Compelling diary of a great actor describing what it is like to play the role of Richard.
Smallwood, Robert, ed., Players of Shakespeare 4 (1998) and 6 (2004). Each volume contains an interview with an actor talking about playing Richard.
For a more detailed Shakespeare bibliography and selections from a wide range of critical accounts of the play, with linking commentary, visit the edition website, www.therscshakespeare.com.
AVAILABLE ON DVD
Richard III, directed by F. R. Benson (1911), on Silent Shakespeare (DVD 2004). Brief tableaux from a very early film version.
Richard III, directed by Laurence Olivier (1955, DVD 2006). Also starring Olivier. Shaped the image of Richard for two generations.
The Wars of the Roses (tx. 22 April 1965), directed by Peter Hall, with text adapted by John Barton. BBC television version of a highly influential project of the RSC in its early years, with Ian Holm as Richard and Peggy Ashcroft as Margaret. Only available in specialist archives such as the British Film Institute in London.
Richard III, directed by Jane Howell (BBC Television Shakespeare, 1983, DVD 2004). Nearly four hours long, due to a very full text, in contrast to the heavy cutting of all other filmed versions. Less successful than the three parts of Henry VI by the same director, which were an unexpected highlight of the BBC series.
Richard III in Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (joint BBC/Russian television production, 1994, DVD 2007). High-quality cartoon abbreviation, notable in that Richard is voiced by Antony Sher, whose legendary 1984 RSC stage production is not available on screen.
Richard III, directed by Richard Loncraine (1995, DVD 2000). Developed from the McKellen/Eyre National Theatre production. Brilliant transposition to Fascist 1930s setting: a definitive modern revisioning, rendering Olivier into a period piece.
Looking for Richard, directed by Al Pacino (1996, DVD 2005). Quirky but illuminating “metaproduction” in which Pacino explores his fascination with the role and the play, assisted by actors and academics, including Kevin Spacey excellent as Buckingham.
REFERENCES
1. Quoted in E. K. Chambers, William Shakespeare (2 vols, 1930), 2.212.
2. Stanley Wells, “Television Shakespeare,” Shakespeare Quarterly, 33 (1982), pp. 261–73 (p. 266).
3. Thomas Davies, Dramatic Miscellanies (3 vols, 1784), 3.440–42.
4. Thomas Davies, Memoirs of the Life of David Garrick (2 vols, 1780, repr. 1969), 1.40.
5. Davies, “Mr. Garrick’s First Appearance on a London Stage” in his Life of David Garrick, 1.37–50
6. Julie Hankey, Plays in Performance: Richard III (London: Junction Books, 1981), p. 42.
7. William Hazlitt, review in A View of the English Stage; or, A Series of Dramatic Criticisms (1818), pp. 5–9.
8. London Green, “ ‘The Gaiety of Meditated Success’: The Richard III of William Charles Macready,” Theater Research International 10 (1985), pp. 107–28 (p. 125).
9. Review of Richard III, The Athenaeum, 26 December 1896.
10. Review of Richard III, The Times, 3 November 1937.
11. Donald Wolfit, First Interval: The Autobiography of Donald Wolfit (1954), p. 205.
12. J. C. Trewin, review of Richard III, The Observer, 17 September 1944.
13. Kenneth Tynan, “Heroic Acting Since 1944,” in He That Plays the King: A View of the Theatre (1950), pp. 32–113.
14. Sheridan Morley, “A Breath of Fresh Air,” New Statesman, 30 June 2003.
15. Hugh M. Richmond, King Richard III, Shakespeare in Performance (1989), p. 142.
16. Peter Hall, program notes to Edward IV [second play of the trilogy, drawn from parts 2 and 3 of Henry VI], RSC, 1963.
17. Milton Shulman, Evening Standard, 21 August 1963.
18. Ian Richardson on playing Richard III, in Judith Cook, Shakespeare’s Players (1983).
19. Richardson on playing Richard III.
20. Benedict Nightingale, New Statesman, 24 April 1970.
21. S. P. Cerasano, Shakespeare Quarterly 36 (1985).
22. John O’Connor, Shakespearean Afterlives (2003), p. 113.
23. John Peter, Sunday Times, 24 June 1984.
24. Interview with Simon Russell Beale by Peter Lewis, Sunday Times, 2 August 1992.
25. Irving Wardle, Independent on Sunday, 16 August 1992.
26. Paul Taylor, Independent, 13 August 1992.
27. Benedict Nightingale, Times, 13 August 1992.
28. Irving Wardle, Times, 5 November 1980.
29. Michael Billington, Guardian, 5 November 1980.
30. Julie Hankey, Times Literary Supplement, 14 November 1980.
31. David Troughton, “Richard III,” in Players of Shakespeare 4, ed. Robert Smallwood (1998).
32. Anton Lesser, “Richard of Gloucester,” in Players of Shakespeare 3, ed. Russell Jackson and Robert Smallwood (1993).
33. Henry Goodman, “Richard III,” in Players of Shakespeare 6, ed. Robert Smallwood (2004).
34. Goodman, “Richard III.”
35. Benedict Nightingale, New Statesman, 24 April 1970.
36. D. A. N. Jones, Listener, 23 April 1970.
37. Irving Wardle, Independent on Sunday, 16 August 1992.
38. Henry Goodman on his portrayal of Richard III, Richard III Online Playguide, www.rsc.org.uk/richard/current/home.html.
39. Susannah Clapp, Observer, 27 July 2003.
40. Benedict Nightingale, Times, 25 July 2003.
41. Troughton, “Richard III.”
42. Cerasano, Shakespeare Quarterly 36.
43. David Starkey, Times Literary Supplement, 28 August 1992.
44. Troughton, “Richard III.”
46. Peter Holland, English Shakespeares (1997), p. 2 31.
47. Lesser, “Richard of Gloucester.”
48. Hankey, Times Literary Supplement, 14 November 1980.
49. Lesser, “Richard of Gloucester.”
50. Lisa Stevenson on playing Lady Anne, Richard III Online Playguide, www.rsc.org.uk/richard/current/home.html.
51. Katherine Duncan-Jones, Times Literary Supplement, 11 May 2001.
52. Taylor, Independent, 13 August 1992.
53. Wardle, Times, 5 November 1980.
54. B. A. Young, Financial Times, 5 November 1980.
55. Nightingale, New Statesman, 24 April 1970.
56. Katherine Duncan-Jones, Times Literary Supplement, 11 November 2001.
57. R. Chris Hassel Jr., Shakespeare Quarterly 36 (1985).
58. Penny Downie, “Queen Margaret,” in Players of Shakespeare 3.
59. Andrew St. George, Financ
ial Times, 13 August 1992.
60. Taylor, Independent, 13 August 1992.
61. Taylor, Independent, 13 August 1992.
62. Sean Holmes on directing the RSC’s 2003 production, Richard III Online Playguide, www.rsc.org.uk/richard/current/home.html.
63. Lesser, “Richard of Gloucester.”
64. Troughton, “Richard III.”
65. Hassel, Jr., Shakespeare Quarterly 36.
66. Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph, 27 April 2001.
67. Barbara Hodgdon, “The RSC’s ‘Long Sonata of the Dead’: Shakespeare-history and Imagined Community,” in Re-visions of Shakespeare, ed. Evelyn Gajowski (2004), p. 77.
68. Michael Billington, Guardian, 5 November 1980.
69. Paul Taylor, Independent, 30 October 1998.
70. Jones, Listener, 23 April 1970.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
AND PICTURE CREDITS
Preparation of “Richard III in Performance” was assisted by generous grants from the CAPITAL Centre (Creativity and Performance in Teaching and Learning) of the University of Warwick, for research in the RSC archive at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded a term’s research leave that enabled Jonathan Bate to work on “The Director’s Cut.”
Picture research by Helen Robson and Jan Sewell. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust for assistance with picture research (special thanks to Helen Hargest) and reproduction fees.
Images of RSC productions are supplied by the Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive, Stratford-upon-Avon. This library, maintained by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, holds the most important collection of Shakespeare material in the UK, including the Royal Shakespeare Company’s official archives. It is open to the public free of charge.
For more information see www.shakespeare.org.uk.
1. Portrait of David Garrick (1745). Reproduced by permission of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
2. Directed by Bill Alexander (1984). Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
3. Directed by Sean Holmes (2003). Malcolm Davies © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
4. Photograph of the set design for Richard III (2008). Lucy Barriball © Royal Shakespeare Company.
5. Directed by Sam Mendes (1992). © Michael Le Poer Trench.
6. Richard III directed by Michael Boyd (2008). Ellie Kurttz © Royal Shakespeare Company.
7. Reconstructed Elizabethan Playhouse © Charcoalblue.
THE MODERN LIBRARY EDITORIAL BOARD
Maya Angelou
•
A. S. Byatt
•
Caleb Carr
•
Christopher Cerf
•
Harold Evans
•
Charles Frazier
•
Vartan Gregorian
•
Jessica Hagedorn
•
Richard Howard
•
Charles Johnson
•
Jon Krakauer
•
Edmund Morris
•
Azar Nafisi
•
Joyce Carol Oates
•
Elaine Pagels
•
John Richardson
•
Salman Rushdie
•
Oliver Sacks
•
Carolyn See
•
Gore Vidal
GREY … DORSET in the early scenes, these two may be treated as one figure
widow historically she was betrothed, not married, to Prince Edward (son of King Henry VI), but in the play (following Hall’s chronicle) she is described as his wife/widow
Act 1 Scene 1
1.1 Location: near the Tower of London
1.1 solus alone
2 son of York i.e. Edward IV, whose father was Richard Duke of York (puns on “sun,” the emblem of the House of York)
3 loured frowned threateningly house family (of York)
6 arms armor, weapons for as
7 alarums calls to arms/sudden attacks
8 dreadful fearsome, inspiring dread
8 measures stately dances
9 front forehead
10 barbèd armored
11 fearful frightened (or possibly “frightening”)
12 capers dances with leaping movements/has sex
12 chamber plays on the sense of “vagina”
13 pleasing attraction, delight
14 sportive pleasurable/amorous/sexual
14 tricks behavior, skills/sexual acts
15 court … looking-glass i.e. gaze lovingly at myself in a mirror, flirt with my own reflection
16 rudely stamped crudely formed, roughly printed with an image
16 want lack
17 wanton flirtatious, lascivious
17 ambling sauntering, walking with a sexy rolling gait
18 curtailed deprived, cut short (literally refers to the docking of a dog’s tail)
19 feature a pleasing shape
19 dissembling cheating, deceitful
20 sent … time i.e. born prematurely
21 made up fully formed
22 unfashionable odd-looking, inelegant/poorly shaped
23 halt limp
24 piping characterized by pastoral pipes, rather than warlike instruments/shrill, weak, contemptible
27 descant improvise variations on (musical term), i.e. ponder, comment
29 entertain pass enjoyably
29 well-spoken courteous, harmonious
30 determinèd resolved/destined
32 inductions initial steps, preparations
37 subtle cunning, sly
37 false dishonest, disloyal
38 mewed up imprisoned, cooped up (like a caged bird of prey)
39 About as a result of
39 “G” Clarence’s first name is George; Richard, however, is the Duke of Gloucester
43 waits upon attends
45 Tend’ring holding dear, being concerned for (ironic)
46 conduct escort
46 th’Tower the Tower of London
50 commit imprison
50 godfathers sometimes responsible for the naming of the child at baptism
51 belike probably/perhaps
52 new-christened a grim anticipation of Clarence’s death by drowning
53 matter reason
54 protest declare
56 hearkens after listens to
57 cross-row alphabet (prefixed by a cross in children’s primers)
59 issue children
60 for because
62 toys whims, trifles
66 lady Grey Elizabeth’s title before her marriage to Edward: Richard is being contemptuous
68 worship repute, honor
69 Anthony Woodville i.e. Earl Rivers
71 delivered released
74 night-walking heralds secret, night-time messengers (a night-walker also meant a thief or a prostitute)
75 trudge betwixt go to and fro between
75 Mistress usual title for a woman; perhaps here with suggestive play on the sense of “lover” or even “female master”
75 Mistress Shore Jane Shore, wife of a London goldsmith and Edward IV’s lover; she later became Hastings’ mistress
76 suppliant petitioner
77 delivery release from prison
78 complaining appealing, lamenting, pleading
78 her deity a mocking title for Mistress Shore
79 Lord Chamberlain i.e. Hastings
82 men servants (perhaps with sexual connotations)
82 livery uniform indicating whom one served (wear her livery may play on a sense of “have sex with her”)
83 o’erworn worn out (like old clothing/sexually)
83 widow i.e. Queen Elizabeth
84 dubbed them conferred on them the rank of
85 gossips c
hatterers/godparents
87 straitly … charge strictly ordered
89 Of … soever regardless of social rank
90 an if it
94 Well … years well advanced in age (Richard seems to pretend to mean “mature, wise” or “well-preserved”)
94 fair attractive/just
96 passing surpassingly, exceptionally
101 doth naught Richard shifts the sense to “sexually penetrates her vagina”
104 betray me i.e. by making me name the king as Shore’s lover
105 withal moreover
106 Forbear restrain, cease
107 charge duty, instructions
108 abjects varies “subjects” to incorporate sense of “contemptible outcasts”
112 enfranchise free
114 Touches affects
117 lie for you take your place in prison (playing on the sense of “lie about you”)
119 perforce of necessity (“patience perforce” was proverbial)
123 present gift
124 new-delivered recently released
128 brooked tolerated
130 give them thanks i.e. pay them back, have revenge
135 mewed caged
136 kites and buzzards inferior birds of prey
137 abroad in the world
140 him for him
142 diet lifestyle
149 packed packed off, dispatched
149 post-horse all possible speed
151 steeled strengthened with steel, reinforced
152 deep cunning/secret
155 bustle busy myself, be active
156 Warwick’s youngest daughter i.e. Lady Anne Neville: having changed sides, the Earl of Warwick died fighting against the House of York
157 her husband Anne Neville was not in fact married to Prince Edward (Henry VI’s son) although she had been betrothed to him before his death
157 father father-in-law. i.e. Henry VI
161 close concealed
162 reach unto strive to carry out
163 run … market i.e. get ahead of myself (proverbial)
Act 1 Scene 2
1.2 Location: a London street
1.2 halberds long-handled weapons with axelike heads
2 shrouded concealed/wrapped in a shroud
2 hearse probably here an open coffin, or litter beneath a frame supporting a funereal cloth