Richard III

Ok, so last night, we saw Richard III at the Old Vic Theatre. The star was Kevin Spacey, who starred as Richard and was absolutely phenomenal. The mark of a good actor is his ability to be versatile and Kevin Spacey is all those things and more. Richard III is a tragedy about a man who decides to cause destruction simply because he seems bored. However, he declares his desire for the throne after becoming jealous of his brother's prosperity. Through many moves of political manipulation and murder, Richard is crowned king. However, his victory is short-lived and he is soon overthrown by the Earl of Richmond. The Earl of Richmond is eventually crowned King Henry VII and begins the famous Tudor line. Richard III is most famous for locking his two young nephews in the Tower of London and having them murdered.

Putting history aside, the show itself was awesome. The actors clearly thought about all of their lines, especially the ghost of Queen Margaret. The show was funny when it was supposed to be and serious and terrifying when it was supposed to be. In a moment of political manipulation, the director used a TV screen during the political rally for Richard to highlight his physical strengths. I found this tactic extremely effective and helped the audience engage with the actors. I highly recommend this play to all history majors or fans interested in action plays. Overall, the best play I've seen so far, EVER!

Today, we go to the Globe to see All's Well that Ends Well, which is generally considered one of Shakespeare's "Problem Plays". It is classified this way because no one really can agree on whether or not it is a comedy or a tragedy. More about that later!!!!

Loving this city and theatre life.

AL