Richard II: Shakespeare’s Most Underrated Historical Tragedy?
Image Credit: Jemima Corcoran
Jonathan Bailey stuns at Press Night in The Bridge Theatre’s latest rendition of Richard II
4.5 stars
From brooding Bridgerton to flirty Fiyero, Bailey has quickly made a name for himself as a silver-screen and television favourite for his arrogant-yet-charming, campy aristocratic roles. If Bailey’s toe-tapping, show tune-belting Oscar-Nominated Wicked performance hadn’t already shown off his versatility as an actor, he joins the likes of David Tennant, Andrew Scott, and Kenneth Branagh as a stagecraft Shakespearian wonder.
Director Nicholas Hytner set this Medieval tragedy within a modern war zone, swapping slashed sleeves and neck ruffs for suits, ties, and board-rooms. This creative decision gave an eery, all-too-relevant contemporary undertone to this timeless drama of an entitled white man, surrounded by flatterers and drunk with power, who begins to believe he is unequivocally protected by God himself… sound familiar?
The set design was seemingly simple yet slickly effective, with an intense Christopher Nolan-esque soundtrack punctuating alternating platforms on the stage revealing pits of smoke, gilded furniture and a dystopian battlefield. The rostrum stage increased the intimacy of the performance, making one feel like a spectator at a coliseum, as the actors showed no fear of breaking the fourth wall and making surprise entrances through the audience. The only downside to such a multi-faceted stage was having to share the performers with the other side of the audience, as I found myself on several occasions having the (albeit lovely) view of Jonathan Bailey’s back-side for some of his most poignant lines.
Rising star Royce Pierreson was a force to be reckoned with in the role of Henry Bullingbrook, matching Bailey’s clear diction, charisma, and complex emotional portrayals. I, for one, was left hoping to see him continue his role in a sequel production of Henry IV next year! An honourable mention must also go to understudy Martin Carroll, who seamlessly stepped into the role of the crown-loyal self-righteous John of Gaunt.
The ethnicity-blind casting, with Bailey as the only notable A-lister of the group, gave way to a diverse range of incredible talent and unique portrayals. Nevertheless, I felt that the cast lacked a strong female presence, with Olivia Popica’s portrayal of Queen Isabel being unfortunately overshone as a forgettable role in comparison to the dominant male figures. Having been blown away by Sigourney Weaver’s groundbreaking interpretation of The Tempest’s Prospero in December, I can’t help but wonder why Hytner wasn’t inspired to add more significant gender-swapping to the original script.
Although Richard II is known to be tragic and sometimes (in my newly-wrought opinion, wrongly) dismissed as dry and bleak, I was surprised to find some genuine laugh-out-loud moments in this rendition, often thanks to Bailey’s witty timing and flamboyant physicality. To evoke sympathy for a narcissistic tyrant is not an easy task in our current political climate, but the audible gasps let out by the audience at the inevitable death of Richard II was a testament to Bailey’s dynamic performance, Hytner’s directorial power, and the emotional complexity of the supporting cast’s portrayals.