Review: RICHARD III presented by Shoreside Theatre at The PUMPHOUSE , Takapuna, Auckland

Creatively directed by Catherine Boniface, and innovatively reimagined and set in the sordid, dangerous world of post-war London’s gang culture, “Richard III” is a play about political power, manipulation, betrayal and deceit.  Boniface’s vision is to encapsulate the strong royal family allegiances in gang affiliations and loyalty. The result is a well-paced, vocally-energised production presented with masterful performances commandingly cemented with astute posture, costume, lighting and sound.   

“Richard III” is a long and very dense play in terms of the number of characters (38). And it could become quite confusing. Congratulations to the talented cast who, not only had defined roles, but convincingly captured a multitude of others. Subtle touches of hair changes, definite posture and movement changes, use of accent and costuming for the ensemble facilitated the audience’s understanding.  Creative colour employed in the costuming (Iona Taylor) crafted a motif that clarified the loyalties, the “gang” colours. The period of the late 1940s suits and hats was accurately and effectively managed with finesse.

 

                                                 “Now is the winter of our discontent

                                                  Made glorious summer by this sun of York;

                                                  And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house

                                                  In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

 

In an era of peace after the Wars of the Roses, Richard  (Christopher Raven), the youngest of Edward IV’s (Jordan Smith Henare) heirs, determines to create political tyranny and eliminate all those who stand in his way, those of the House of Lancaster and those within his own “gang” of York.

 

A key element to the drama of any Shakespeare play is the direct address to the audience especially in the emotionally intense monologues. In his opening words, Richard shares his hate-filled intentions – that hell-bent on securing the monarchy for himself, he will jeopardise the well-being of his country to serve his own ends. Christopher Raven brings out the clarity and a range of complex emotions with well-modulated flair. He entirely embodies the deformed and embittered Richard, willing to sacrifice all and sundry who get in his way. Shakespeare was a Tudor. He is not kind to Richard! The audience is caught – we will want to see how the scheme unfolds, will he be punished by God, who will be sacrificed?

 

And many do get in his way – there are many souls (11 will stand in his way) to be murdered and it will a long time before Richard experiences any guilt. Early victims include the widowed Lady Anne (Viola Ember) who is won over by Richard’s honeyed words despite his admission to killing her father Henry IV and her husband (they had to die because he loves her himself), and his unsuspecting brother George, Duke of Clarence (Cameron Brownsey). Superb work from Viola Embers who has the difficult challenge of convincingly shifting from hostile hatred and grief-stricken widow to acceptance of his marriage proposal in one short scene. Richard shares his arrogant delight with us.

“Was ever woman in this humour woo’d?

  Was ever woman in this humour won?”

 

Shakespeare prepares us for the worst with foreshadowing “wives made miserable.”   Lady Anne will be discarded (poisoned) once she’s served her purpose. Clarence is duped and betrayed, murdered by hired (lower classed) assassins, an event outstandingly and imaginatively enacted by Jesse Park and Emerson O’Regan.

 

The toxic atmosphere at Edward's court intensifies. Brilliant performance from Lauren Wilson who plays Catesby, a cold-blooded slaughterer entirely loyal to Richard. Always focused, always sinister, gun- harnessed, with masculinity and menace physicalised in self-assured posture, Wilson credibly sculpts the concept of the “gang” allegiance.  The nobles are quarrelling with the upwardly mobile relatives of Elizabeth of York  (Meg Andrews) , a hostility fuelled by Richard's machinations.  Henry VI's widow, Queen Margaret (Suzy Sampson) returns, though banished, and she warns the squabbling nobles about Richard – the “loathed issue.”  She can see through his deception. Sampson’s powerful and resonant voice is emotionally rich and her emotional intensity, grief and hatred is convincing. But the Yorkists all ignore the words of the last of the House of Lancaster.

 

Now, Richard mounts a campaign to present himself as the true heir to the throne. His ambition-fuelled cousin, Lord Buckingham (Andrew Norman) presents an impassioned argument that Richard is a modest and devout man with no pretensions to greatness. But when Richard asks Buckingham to assassinate the princes in the Tower, to eliminate those as contenders, and Buckingham hesitates. Richard instead recruits a hired assassin Tyrell (Sebastian Diaz-Campbell) who happily kills both princes (Sophia Adamson, Gigi Albrecht).

 

And now the betrayals begin.  This is a reign of terror.  The formidable combined curses of the wronged Duchess of York (Namrata Shambhag), Queen Elizabeth of York and Queen Margaret influence Richard’s paranoid and subsequent decline. When Richard denies Buckingham a promised land grant, “I am not in the giving mood today”  Buckingham takes his own revenge and defects to the side of Henry VI's nephew, the Earl of Richmond (Jesse Park), later to become Henry VII.

 

The final scenes are outstanding. Prior to the final convincingly-executed stage battle (Kimberley Barker), the sleeping Richard and Richmond are visited by the ghosts of the victims. Skilled projected filmed sequences and lighting (Matt Goldsbro’) capture the eerie haunting “despair and die” while Richmond is assured of success. Jesse Park delivers Henry’s  call to action (directly to the audience) with a commanding physicality, exceptional power and dynamic vocal delivery:

“ Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, bold yoemen!

Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head!

Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood.”

     At last the abhorrent and ruthless pursuit of personal political power is quelled and under the rule of Henry VII, England has a stable period of strong centralised rule and financial strength. One could argue there are messages here for our own time.

 

Intelligent audience connection and innovatively directed, with exceptional characterisation, and memorable Shakespearean text superbly directed and executed – this is an emotionally rich production that will not disappoint.

 

The 2025 Summer Shakespeare in the Park  (RICHARD III and THE TAMING OF THE SHREW)  runs January 21 – February 15. Book at www.pumphouse.co.nz

by Glenda Pearce 

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