Richard III at BAM

[skynyc]

Just thought I would try to collect my thoughts on Richard III starring Kevin Spacey which I saw last night at BAM. A mixed review; there are some spoilers...

 

First of all, I was shocked at the shouting. It seems that the entire performance is being done in screams. I know that most of the reviews adored him, but I thought Spacey's performance is so over the top it was not enjoyable at times…yet there were moments when I loved it. There's a scene near the end of Act I (about 1:40) in where Richard is actually off stage, being video'ed, where he's praying with the two holy men and he is interrupted and entreated to become king. This was very creative and made for great theater. We the audience, with cast members planted throughout the aisles come around to the idea. Clever and interesting, although my problem with this device is that throughout the act, Richard himself had broken the fourth wall and had been addressing us and winking at the audience all through the show…we were in on his treachery. Suddenly OUR roles had changed and we were the witless London public who was supposedly duped by this show of piety.

 

My other problem with the direction of this performance was his overall bravado seemed to fight the continual referrals in the dialogue of the play calling Richard a spider. Well, a spider lurks in corners and scuttles out to catch the prey in his web. They go unnoticed until it's too late. But there was no way this Richard would be unnoticed. His performance is so broad that he's like the water bug in the middle of the sidewalk…and they get spotted very easily, and squashed.

 

That being said…I loved seeing this production. I thought the physical production was terrific, the scenic design was gorgeous and effective. The use of drums throughout was exciting and the escalation of them as the battle neared really drove the second act. Also, the lighting was terrific. We were a little to one side and the use of shadow against the walls with all the doors was great.

 

I felt that some of the double casting was confusing. The costuming was so similar…balding men in black suits, and I couldn't always tell the actors apart…but I do think that's part of what Mendes was going for…interchangeable underlings…when one is killed there's always ten to take their place.

 

And the ending….lifting him like that!!!!! (They suspend his body upside-down from his boots, and he just hangs there, lifeless for Richmond's final speech.)

 

I loved the women (Gemma Jones was terrific as she skulked around – now SHE was the spider…), and several of the men, in particular Buckingham who held up to Spacey's Richard, and Richmond at the end. The use of women as the princes was a bit disappointing to me…because children are much more effective…but I understand.

 

I do think that folks will be talking about this production for a while…his performance at least; which was, in a word, unleashed.

 

It made for a very animated discussion on the way home.

 

If you decide to go, and can find a ticket, I remind you that the seats in the Harvey are little more than armless benches. I was glad that I took a pillow, at 3 hours 20 minutes, they should be selling Preparation H at the lobby bar.

[+ Lucky]

Thanks for the review, skynyc. Hasn't Pacino resorted to screaming in all of his roles these days?

[Guest Merlin]

Haven't seen it. But your suggestion that there were frequent references to Richard as "spider" does not, as I recall, appear in the Shakespeare script. If they have changed the script (as opposed to merely shortening it), it would be a big no, no for me. Our, and my, attention spans are shorter than the apparently were in the 15-1600s, so I do not object to some shortening, but, heaven forfend, altering the script. A plague on both their houses, whomever they may be.

[Doe Be Doe]

I wanted to see this and was ready to pay $175 for a ticket - yikes. But if all there is is screaming - no thanks.

[skynyc]

Merlin...in the original text, Margaret, Elizabeth and Anne all refer to him as a spider, and a "bottled toad" so they haven't altered the text...

This is why I so noticed the broadness of this performance vs. the implications of the text.

Here's a link to the full text...just use the find function: http://shakespeare.mit.edu/richardiii/full.html

 

I do think that this production is worthy of seeing.

I, as a subscriber, paid $100 for the ticket and don't begrudge a penny. Despite my commentary, I enjoyed the evening thoroughly.