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CurtainUp The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features,
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A CurtainUp Review
Richard III
The familiar play's new twists doesn't begin with Richard's now-is-the-winter-of- our-discontent speech but with a synopsis of the Henry VI plays projected via teleprompter. If you can't digest all the chronicled history a la Shakespeare, Ostermeier uses this device to clue the audience in on the civil strife that has kept the Plantagenets and Lancastrians at royal loggerheads during the War of the Roses The dar feel of this history-heavy prologue lightens up when the York family enter and have a rip-roaring celebration, complete with confetti bursting from faux guns. Among the clan, of course, is the titular character (Lars Eidinger), hobbling on stage with his club-foot and humped back. So what's all the hullabaloo about? Well, the Yorks are celebrating their battle victory and relishing the peace it promises to their war-scarred clan. But, oddly, Richard is in a funk at this family celebration, a wall flower at the party. This dramatically changes when he moves center-stage and cradles the microphone in his hand to intone the play's opening soliloquy. Eidinger is mesmerizing as he snarls out the long rhetorical speech (“This is the winter of our discontent”. . .), only pausing to spit, curse, or cunningly smile. Marius von Mayenburg's translation and adaptation has given the play new prosaic contours, and Eidinger's Richard gives them edge. The story is down to the bone. Consequently, some of the female characters have slighter parts than in the original text. It makes for an obviously testosterone-loaded production, with the anti-hero Richard coming squarely to the fore. Although our protagonist likes to play the Puritan now and then, this is no Puritanical production. In fact, in several scenes Richard strips completely to the buff. Whether you personally agree or disagree with this directorial decision, Richard's nudity here does mesh with Ostermeier's audacious vision. If pressed for the most memorable scene, I would say that it comes near the play's end when our anti-hero is preparing for battle at Bosworth Field. Richard has just finished his meal and bizarrely creates a paste from the scraps on his plate and applies it to his face like an actor putting on grease paint. Sound strange? Well, it gets even stranger. He then uses his plate as a pseudo-mirror to catch a glimpse of himself. And what he — and we —see is the spitting image of a white death mask. The ten-member cast, some who perform double and triple roles, do an admirable job at portraying their characters. But no question this is Eidinger's star turn from the moment he haltingly walks onto the capacious stage at the Harvey Theater. Eidinger seems as if he were born to play Shakespeare's hell-hound. Indeed, he portrays the villain with gusto, grit, and comic flair. The major drawback to this production is its all-too-brief. One ne can only hope that Ostermeier returns to New York soon with another inspired venture. |
Search CurtainUp in the box below PRODUCTION NOTES Richard III by William Shakespeare Translation and adaptation by Marius von Mayenburg?Schaubühne Berlin Directed by Thomas Ostermeier In German with English titles Cast: Lars Eidinger (Richard III), Moritz Gottwald (Buckingham), Eva Meckbach (Elizabeth), Jenny Konig (Lady Anne), Sebastian Schwarz (Hastings, Brackenbury, Ratcliff), Robert Beyer (Catesby, Margaret, First Murderer), Thomas Bading (Edward, Lord Mayor of London, Second Murderer), Christoph Gawenda (Clarence, Dorset, Stanley, Prince of Wales as puppet), Laurenz Laufenberg (Rivers, York as puppet), Thomas Witte (Drummer). Sets: Jan Pappelbaum Video: Sébastien Dupouey Dramaturgy: Florian Borchmeyer Lighting design: Erich Schneider Costumes: Florence von Gerkan in collaboration with Ralf Tristan Sczesny Music: Nils Ostendorf Video: Sébastien Dupouey Lighting: Erich Schneider Dramaturgy: Florian Borchmey Fight Director: Rene Lay BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St., Brooklyn. Tickets start at $35. For more information on tickets, phone 718.636.4100 or visit BAM.org. From 10/11/17; closing 10/14/17. All performances @ 7:30pm Running time: 2 hours; 30 minutes with no intermission Reviewed by Deirdre Donovan based on press performance of 10/11/17 REVIEW FEEDBACK Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
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