FROM THE ARCHIVE: thoughts on Richard II

I was flipping channels the other night and, as it frequently happens, I landed on PBS.  I saw an episode of the new series Shakespeare Uncovered.  It was the episode about Richard II and our host was Derek Jacobi.  (I borrowed the photo from the PBS website and will take it down if they ask. ;))  This show brought back a TON of memories. 

 

In the ninth grade, my English teacher was tough.  She demanded the best from each of her students and sometimes that was exhausting.  I was having a hard time with diagramming sentences (I know, I'm a dope), and was despairing about keeping my grade up, so my teacher offered me an extra-credit project.  I could read some Shakespeare (which we hadn't studied yet) and watch the corresponding new TV versions of the plays, then write a report.  Always being a fan of extra credit, I signed on.

 

And so, Richard II was the very first play I ever read.  And Derek Jacobi as Richard II was the very first Shakespearean play I ever saw, albeit on television.  The play and that broadcast burned into my brain and changed my life.  Even 30-some years later, I can still remember scenes and speeches.  Theater entered my world and nothing was the same.  I can never thank that teacher enough.

 

During Shakespeare Uncovered, watching Derek Jacobi watch his younger self as Richard II was incredibly touching, since I can remember MY younger self watching his younger self!  Very meta, yes?  But, because of that broadcast in the 1970s, I've had a love for Shakespeare, Richard II and Derek Jacobi.  One of the productions of the past that I desperately wish I had seen was Jacobi in Cyrano.  I treasure my VHS, but to have seen him live must've been heaven.  I was fortunate to see him in Uncle Vanya a number of years ago, and I even got to meet him.  Happily, he was just as enchanting in real life as he is on stage and screen.  I can still see him blowing kisses as he went in the stage door.  Happy happy theater memory.  Sorry to digress...

Anyway, Shakespeare Uncovered was so interesting, and I loved hearing so many things about Richard II - I probably heard many of the references before but had forgotten them.  Did I know that Richard II is the only play by Shakespeare written completely in verse?  And did that have an impact on me as a young reader?  I guess I'll never know.  The filming of rehearsals, and the clips from various productions of Richard II were also fascinating.  I wish they had shown more of the Mark Rylance production, since I find him to be GENIUS, but ah well.  I could've done with less of the "Shakespeare didn't really write his plays" opinions, but that's just me.  :)

I've seen dozens of productions of Macbeth over the years, as it's also one of my very favorite plays, but I haven't seen as many productions of Richard II.  I don't think it's done as much, sadly.  I did make a trip out to BAM to see Ralph Fiennes do it, and loved him quite a lot (which is to be expected).  I'd like to see the play done more - it's so beautifully crafted and has many speeches that resonate to a modern audience.  At least I think so.  Let's put some Richard II mojo in the air so that another company will suddenly decide to take it on...

 

Looking through my old reviews, I finally found one to reprint.  Unfortunately, all I found was an uncomplimentary review of a recent-ish production of Richard II.  I've edited out most of the uncomplimentary stuff.  Just because.  The good stuff is basically all I remember now anyway.  I put the particulars that I didn't enjoy out of my brain.  So, from 2006:

 

Saw Michael Cumpsty in Richard II at CSC last night.  I love this play.  I just don't think I'm a fan of this director and his conceptulizations of Shakespeare.  I'm a purist at heart, which can be a difficult thing.  I believe there may have been vogueing in this particular production.  I kid you not.  Didn't really work for me.  Cumpsty was very good, as always, though maybe not as capricious as he could’ve been.  And George Morfogen as the Duke of York was brilliant.  Their scene together, after the death of John of Gaunt, was great.  Just what the play should be.  But instead, throughout a lot of the production, we get a lot of artsy fartsy stuff that makes us mad.  I use the word “us” loosely.  I really mean me.  Your mileage may vary.  :)