MUST GO  Nothing but spoilers here!

Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, mass murderer. From the opening lines “Now is the winter of my discontent …” to “… a horse, a horse my kingdom for a horse!” You fall in love with the white hog. This deformed and withered man is one of the greatest warriors in England. Unfortunately, peace has broken out and he is bored. Thinking that with his unsightly body he cannot woo fair maid, he sets his sights on becoming King of England. Woe to his older brother George, Duke of Clarence, his two nephews (the Princes) by his oldest brother the King and various other dukes and earls that stand in his way. He climbs the ladder to the throne. Richard seduces the widow (he just made) with honeyed words over her husband’s coffin. So much for his insecurity about getting a girlfriend. He can justify his actions with “that was yesterday, we must think about tomorrow”. One of his greatest tricks is to talk directly to the audience about his plans and using sly smiles and humorous asides he seduces us too!

Finally at the battle at Bosworth field after having his third horse killed under him he is separated from his army and killed by half a dozen enemy troops. The last Plantagenet is dead and Henry the VII, a Tudor is declared King of England.

Shakespeare wrote this play a hundred and seven years after the events for a Tudor audience. Elizabeth the First, the last of the Tudors, was on the throne and was known to behead enemies so of course Richard was portrayed a vile usurper. I don’t believe it but there was that box found in the Tower of London stairwell with two small corpses in it!

Richard is played by Dan Donohue, you might remember him from a few years ago as Hamlet, another outstanding performance. For you non play going readers he is also a voice actor in Skyrim one character is Ralis Sedarys. He is also in many other productions.