Richard III at Shakespeare’s Globe

As a bit of a Shakespeare nerd, I relished the opportunity to catch a production of ‘Richard III’ at Shakespeare’s Globe. This beautiful and iconic venue is a faithful recreation of the original Elizabethan theatre that was dramatically destroyed in a fire in the 1600s. The original theatre was an open-air amphitheatre with a distinctive circular design, three stories high, and could accommodate up to 3,000 spectators.

This modern-day recreation provides the perfect backdrop to experience an authentic performance of the bard’s work.

I first attended the Globe back in 2012 when I saw the intensely fierce Samantha Spiro in a production of ‘The Taming of the Shrew’. Standing in the Globe’s yard as a “groundling” I looked up at a beautifully clear night sky, as the lead character Kate cries out against the misogyny she’s experienced throughout the course of the play. As a budding actor, it was a moment I would never forget.

But of course, an open-air theatre in the height of British summer does come with a fair set of risks. Taking a gamble, we excitedly gathered in the Globe’s yard along with a bustling crowd ready for the play to begin. At 7:30 pm sharp, we were treated to a dramatically cataclysmic rainstorm that did not relent for the remainder of the evening. We got absolutely soaked, through to the skin.

One of the opening lines of this production felt a bit too close to home…

If you’re not familiar with this play, ‘Richard III’ is a historical story that depicts the rise to power and the short reign of Richard III of England. Despite being physically deformed, he is ruthlessly cunning and manipulative. Orchestrating a series of betrayals, murders, and deceptions to eliminate everything that gets in the way of him and the crown, including the murder of his brothers.

Richard does eventually get to the throne, but his reign is marred by paranoia and backstabbing. His former allies turn against him and he loses the support of the nobility and the people. Richard’s soliloquies reveal his complex and devious nature, which tests even the most moral of audience members with who they should be rooting for.

This production, starring artistic director Michelle Terry in the titular role, does not come without its own controversy. The choice to cast an able-bodied actor as a character who is described within the text as “deformed” has been somewhat criticised by audiences.

Whatever your opinions on this topic are, the artistic team must be praised for pushing boundaries by casting an almost exclusively female cast to play both the male and female characters. A casting tactic that shifts your perspective on the sexual politics and power play that befalls the female characters of this tragic story.

Despite the terrible weather conditions, I thoroughly enjoyed director Elle While’s production. The play allowed the talented Michelle Terry to flex her acting prowess as she cleverly intertwined historically accurate text with quotes from former president Trump (which felt hauntingly at home in this toxic narrative).

The play was accompanied by a provocative soundtrack composed by James Malone, which created a nervous energy that carried you from scene to scene.

This humble reviewer must confess that only one member of team Cog weathered the physical and metaphorical storms of the evening, making it to the final curtain call.

This was not through a lack of enthusiasm for this fantastic production, but more for the desire for shelter and the lure of dry clothing. Congratulations to Alex for being the last person standing.

Luckily you can catch Richard III until 3rd August at the Globe, where I’m hoping to find a dry evening to experience the wonders of this production in full.

Elizabeth Sanduvete created our illustration, see more work on their website.