Under Development
SOME
people will do anything to be King - Richard, Duke of Gloucester, more than most.
Getting a couple of murderers to stab his brother, whom he's already locked up in the Tower of London, is done with the wave of a hand.
Shocking the existing King into an early demise, knowing that he already suffers from bad health, is par for the course, and locking the Queen's children in the Tower before ending their short lives is done in a trice.
There are many other deaths in Shakespeare's opus and they're all rather well done in this latest production from Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company
Under the direction of Chris Sparham, this production spits and snarls its way through its three-hour running time, counter-balancing high drama with moments of sneeringly good black comedy.
It's a production that does not rely on sets to help portray the story, a simple black curtained stage, atmospheric lighting and the odd chair, throne or beheading block is all that's needed to bring the play to life.
The cast are uniformly excellent.
Not a missed line or nervous glance was in evidence, but more than anything this is a show that needs to be seen for the quite startling and immensely satisfying central performance of Ben Adams.
This really is his show and he brings Richard to life - not in a caricatured way, but as a man who may just about be the most evil human being you will ever see.
That said, he also brings to him a redeeming side with his humour, sarcastic wit and wry asides.
Adams gives a tour de force portrayal that elevates this production to one of the finest I have ever seen from the company.
Do whatever you can to catch this superb piece of theatre at the Guildhall this week - it really is a gem.
Andy Potter