In the first scene of Shakespeare's "Richard III," Richard, Duke of Gloucester, whose brother Edward has ascended the throne after the bloody Wars of the Roses, declares himself unequal to the demands of peace. Cursed with lameness, a crooked back and a terrific mean streak, he determines to devote himself to villainy. And so he begins to bump off his family members until there's only one heir left: himself.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater's current production of "Richard III" is a fast-paced and energetic show. Always on the move, Richard (Wallace Acton) scuttles around Neil Patel's elegant, minimalist set like an eager crab. Acton emphasizes the villain's sense of comedy, winking broadly at the audience as he lies, seduces, and murders his way to the top. While the performance reminds us of Richard's keen self-knowledge (he never for a second believes his own lies), it obscures the depth of his talent as a dissembler. Acton is a splendid actor, but so is Richard; yet the Duke's most surprising and politically useful trait, the ability to win the trust even of those he has wronged, seems unbelievable here.
The production's greatest strength lies in its treatment of a set of characters often underemphasized in performance: the wives and mothers of England's rapidly changing cast of kings. Under Barbara Gaines's direction, scenes focused on the political machinations and violent deeds of Richard, his cronies, and his opponents play out with lightning speed. By contrast, the stream of curses delivered by the dispossessed Queen Margaret (Jennifer Harmon) is accompanied by deep and unsettling stillness. Later, a pair of scenes in which Margaret, Edward's wife Elizabeth (Wendy Robie) and Richard's mother (Mary Ann Thebus) and wife (Angela Ingersoll) converge onstage are both quiet and wrenching.
Structured by the contrast between Richard's frenetic energy and the increasingly stony helplessness of the women of his court, Chicago Shakespeare's "Richard III" is a lively and moving portrayal of great wickedness and its terrible consequences.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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