King Richard II

Considers the theatrical fortunes of Richard II from its politically controversial beginnings on the Elizabethan and Restoration stage, to its various later interpretations responding to 19th- and 20th-century tastes and attitudes. A wide range of performances is documented and discussed. These illustrate the ways in which different theatres and companies have staged the play by cutting, restructuring or adding to Shakepeare's script to highlight spectacle, the personality of the King, the nature of authority and the place of Richard in the overall sweep of English history.