RIII

RICHARD III de William Shakespeare

TECHNICAL DATA

AUTHOR: William Shakespeare

TITLE: RIII (Richard III)

SUBTITLE: Richard III, adaptation of “Richard III”, William Shakespeare

THEATRE COMPANY: Arden Producciones

DIRECTOR: Chema Cardeña

DATE AND PLACE OF THE REPRESENTATION: 14 of October to 16 of November, in “L’Altre Espai” (Valencia).

CAST:

Technical.-

Adaptation: Chema Cardeña

Stage design: Del Busto y Monterde

Illumination: Ximo Rojo

Wardrobe: Pascual Peris

Sound: Gilles Martin/ Ximo Rjo

Voice in off: Antonio Martínez/ Maria Poquet

Portrayal: Inma Fuentes

Photographic: Maques Falgás

Video: Cabeza Líquida S.L.

Graphic design: Asaltinbankis

Production: Juan Carlos Garés

Distribution: Davis Campillos

Management: Mer Badía

Direction: Chema Cardeña

Performers.-

Richard------------------------- Juan Carlos Garés

Queen Elizabeth--------------- Amparo Vayá

Buckingham-------------------- Carol Linuesa

Ratcliff-------------------------- Vicente Pastor

Lady Anne--------------------- Esther López

Clarence/ Richmond---------- Ismael carretero

Hastings------------------------ Chema Cardeña

Queen Margaret--------------- Laura Useleti

In scene------------------------- Alfonso Tadeo

PLOT

The stage is dark. We can hear music. Suddenly, a faint light illuminates the characters that are at the back of the stage. One to one talk and the light illuminates them.

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The king Edward was ill, and first of all, Richard persuaded the king to send Clarence (his brother) to the tower, since in the country there was a prophecy that said that the assassin of the king’s sons was a man with a name started in G; and the name of Clarence was George. Then, Ratcliff, who was friend of Richard and his servant, killed Clarence following Richard’s orders. In that way, Richard eliminated the successor to the throne when the king dies. Richard also killed Lady Ann’s husband, Edward, who was the king’s son. Richard wanted to be married with her. Later, the king died. Buckingham and Ratcliff helped Richard for honour and lands. Then Richard wanted to kill the queen Elisabeth’s brothers and her sons, and he killed them. Lady Ann and Richard were married. Richard was crowned the king, and Lady Ann the queen. But after that, Richard wanted to be married with the queen Elisabeth’s daughter, also called Elisabeth, because the king of The Great Britain loved her, and if Richard was married with her, the throne wasn’t broken. Buckingham claimed his lands, and Richard killed him. Lady Ann died, too. Richmond, who was the king of The Great Britain, declared the war to Richard. At the end, all people die, including Ratcliff and Richard.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

In this play, we can see nine characters.

-Richard Gloucester is the most important character in the play. He is Edward’s brother, who is the king of Lancaster. But he is a deformed person, lame, bad, who is despicable and who has lost one arm. He wants to have the power, he wants to be the king, and for that, he kills his parents (brothers, cousins, friends…). He is a serious person, and he wears the typical dress in the époque, and after, when is the king, the typical cape. He doesn’t love anyone, anything. He limps when he walks. He is who introduces the rest of the characters, with interruptions in the play.

-Queen Elisabeth is married with King Edward, who dies. Queen doesn’t love Richard, she thinks that he is a bad person, and she doesn’t want that Richard has the throne. But she can do nothing. She is a serious person. She wears the typical dress in the époque, a long dress. She loves her sons and her daughter a lot.

-Buckingham is Richard’s cousin. He accepts to help Richard in his conquest of the power for honour and lands. But Richard doesn’t give him his lands and Richard kills him. He is dressed with clothes of the époque.

-Ratcliff is Richard’s friend and his servant. He helps Richard in his conquest, and he kills Clarence and other people, for honour and lands. He’s the only person who is close by Richard right to the end. But he dies. He is dressed with clothes of the époque.

-Lady Ann is Prince Edward’s wife. She loves her husband. She has a good heart, and he is a good person, who doesn’t love Richard, but he persuades her, and they marry. But after, Lady Ann regrets of that, and at the end, she dies. He wears a long dress, like in the époque.

-Clarence is Richard’s brother. He is the heir of the throne. He loves his brother Richard, and he is a good person, too. But Richard orders to Ratcliff that kills him. And Clarence dies. He wears clothes of the époque. He appears nude in a scene.

-Richmond is the King of The Great Britain. He loves Elisabeth, who is the daughter of King Edward and Queen Elisabeth. She loves him, too. And this marriage could be the salvation of the throne. But Richard, who knows this, wants to be married with Elisabeth, and Richmond declares the war to Richard. This is the end of Richard. He is dressed with clothes of the époque.

-Hastings is Richard’s uncle. He doesn’t know the plans of Richard and after he moves over his planes. For that, Richard orders to kill him. He is dressed with clothes of the époque.

- Queen Margaret doesn’t love Richard. She’s the only who since the beginning detests Richard and says that he is a bad person who is going to be the destruction of the throne. She plots against Richard. He wears a long dress like in the époque.

SPACE

The stage is very simple. Characters don’t go out of the stage. At the beginning, they are at the back in files and one to one goes to the middle of the stage and when they talk, disappear to the scene.

ILLUMINATION

At the beginning the stage is dark, then is illuminated with a lot of focus, but when the scene changes predominates the dark, and then, when the characters are in scene, there are light.

WARDROVE

All of the clothes that the characters wear are of the époque, represent the clothes of the époque. They aren’t coloured, predominates simple colours, like red, brown and green.

ATREZZO

First, we can see in a scene when Clarence dies, a bath, which is old and transparent. Reflects the original play, where Clarence dies in this kind of bath. After, we can see a big cross. Moreover, we can see the real throne (that is a high chair, very simple). And we can see a candelabrum which is lighted, too.

AUDITORIUM

In the representation that I saw, there weren’t a lot of people, only three rows of people. These people were calm, and when the character was nude, they say nothing, it was not a surprised. The audience only applauds at the end, and it was calm applauds.

PERSONAL OPINION

In my opinion, this play is good, but a few boring. The actors perform very well, and the actions are credible. But the play is long, for that is a little boring. But it’s interesting because you don’t imagine what it is going to happen.