Although Richard ruled England for 22 years, Shakespeare’s play focuses on the events of the last two years of his reign, and Ken Hann’s accessible touring production told the story with clarity and pace, against a backdrop of ladders and flags, the intimacy of the Studio Theatre emphasising the tensions, betrayals and murders involved in the king’s abdication and his cousin Bolingbroke’s accession to the throne as Henry 1V.
As the eponymous king, William Baggs handled the demanding role with all the petulance, prevarication, and precociousness expected of a king believing in his God-given right to rule, with equally strong performances from Ian Wilson’s usurping Bolingbroke, Eric Petterson’s dignified John of Gaunt, and John Souter’s loyal Duke of York.
Among a slick company playing a variety of roles, Stephen Ward’s banished Mobray, Peter Ward’s turncoat Aumerle, and Marie McDade’s bereaved Duchess of Gloucester also stood out.
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