Richard III

Shakespeare at the Barn : See where it all began.

RICHARD III

“And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover, To entertain these fair well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain And hate the idle pleasures of these days.” (Richard, Act 1 Scene 1)

The perfect villain, clothed in the armour of an unfortunate visage, armed with wit and pretty words which shoot straight at the heart and accompanied with a complete lack of empathy and a sack full of desire and discontent. Shakespeare's Richard III is a powerful commentary on politics, naked ambition without contrition as the wily prince plays power games to gain a crown. The similarities with some political leaders of the present may be seen and although the Tower is no longer a prison, the clever use of spin to condemn one person and raise another is evidently still very much alive.