Richard III

[ladywing]

Tonight I had the great pleasure of experiencing Richard III at the Indy Fringe Building. I have to admit that I am not a fan of Shakespeare, and I had no idea of what to expect. My decision to see the play was born more out of curiosity and a desire to watch some wonderful actors with whom I have had the opportunity to work with in the past. But now I can't wait to see what No Holds Bard Productions will do next.

The cast is outstanding. Everyone does an exceptional job in bringing their respective characters to life. The portrayals are believable, and I was there in the story with them. The staging is unique. The play blends historial and contemporary elements (I don't want to say much for fear of revealing). This transcending of time and space effectively paints the message that the passionate desire for power can be evil and and corrupt.

Tristan Ross, the director, once said to me that all you need to do a play is to have a parking lot. He proved this to be true as the simple space of the Indy Fringe Building was transformed into multiiple settings from prisons to throne rooms. It didn't even dawn on me until after I left the production that there was no set. A handful of prop pieces was all that was needed. I will remember this the next time I get frustrated over not having the lighting, sound or props that I would like. The acting was all that was needed. End of story.

There is only one suggestion I can make that might help the audience member. This was high, cerebral theatre which can, at times, be a little difficult to follow. The young cast members played multiple roles, which was fine. But some actors played parts that were much older, and at times I was a little confused. Some age variation would have helped.

I want to congratulate this new company. It takes a lot of risk and hard work to pull off such an endeavor, and I admire all of them for doing so.

[agingdiva]

I saw this Friday night and would go back for another view if I could. Tristan has done a fine job of streamlining this history play. I had gone back to review it and still forgot the killing of Queen Anne, which was beautifully portrayed by the slow-to-die actress (Is that Casey?). It might have been helpful to have either in my hands or on the powerpoint presentation a synopsis. It wouldn't have spoiled the story. The man announces he's a villain in the first scene.

I have issues with a few matters besides the confusion of characters, one being the idea that diction does matter. Shakespeare must have spent hours creating that dialogue, and except for Casey, Carrie, Josh, and usually Amy, the characters didn't give it the love it deserves. I also wondered if another director would have fashioned Richard's character into a more subtle delivery. Tristan has so much power in his body, his voice, and that beautifully expressive face, that he had a tendency to over use it. One particularly effective moment was delivered with face and voice underplayed. Richard has begun to distrust Buckingham, and as B'ham prepares to leave, Richard warns him that hostages will be held to assure his loyalty. Tristan's face was deadly but quiet, his voice almost soft. I felt a chill.

It's great to see someone take risks on stage. We all know that we're emotionally naked every time we take the boards. Applause to Tristan and cast for braving the cold in this production. I'll be back to see your next one, of which I've heard rumors.

[Uncanny_Casey]

I wish to only be known as "the slow to die" actress. I forgo my name because that nickname makes me seem cooler.

[agingdiva]

Originally Posted by Uncanny_Casey

I wish to only be known as "the slow to die" actress. I forgo my name because that nickname makes me seem cooler.

One of the best moments for me was watching your agony. The sadist in me, I suppose. So many things I omitted from my earlier post, chief among them the wish that if you ever need an old woman for a production, that I would be among those considered, but I think in S'speare's day no one lived as long as I have, so I'll be content to watch your company grow & thrive.

[joeboling]

Sunday 24 January 2010: Richard III at No Holds Bard (Fringe venue)

Man, did they ever zip through this piece. The scenes followed hard upon each other; we got Richard declared king before the intermission, an hour in. But there was little problem following the action (just some of the genealogy - having the program projected before the show started, even though the pages repeated 6-8 times, was no substitute for having a program in hand).

With all players except Richard double-cast, there were a few times when it was a bit confusing, but not often, and in some instances one was hard-put to recognize the player as the same person when appearing in the second role. The cast list was reduced to fifteen from the sixty-plus that a "full production" would require. The story does not seem to have suffered, and the famous lines that one would look for were delivered - even the one about trading a kingdom for a horse, in a delightfully droll variation.

Checkmarks to Tristan Ross for adaptation and direction, and to Carrie Schlatter (Queen Elizabeth) and Joshua Ramsey (Buckingham). Double checks to Ross as Richard. Honorable mentions to Randy Cox (Stanley) and David Pittman (Catesby). Others in the cast (who also did good work) were Casey Ross, Amy Pettinella, and Pete Lindblom.

Closed with this performance.

[Amaryllis]

Thanks for writing about this show, Donna, Susan, and Joe B. I can't get to every show that interests me. Reading other people's experiences of shows is the next best thing.

[agingdiva]

Shakespeare purists won't cotton to this production. My philosophy is "Touch not the Language, lest anarchy ensue", but seeing Richard in a broader context seems to me to make him evil-er. I say, "Lay on, Tristan".