Richard II

From the Royal Shakespeare Company a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's tragic history of a ruler losing his grip on power. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Richard II in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an acclaimed actress/director Michael Boyd, Claus Peymann and Fiona Shaw  providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed.

Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare s works for the twenty-first century.

Introduction.- About the Text .- Key Facts .- The Life and Death of King Richard the Second.- Textual Notes .- Oaths from the Quarto.- Scene-by-scene Analysis .- Richard II in Performance: The RSC and Beyond .- Four Centuries of Richard II: An Overview .- At the RSC .- The Director's Cut: Interviews with Michael Boyd and Claus Peymann .- Playing Richard: An Interview with Fiona Shaw.- Shakespeare's Career in the Theatre .- Shakespeare's Works: a Chronology .- Kings and Queens of England: From the History Plays to Shakespeare's Lifetime .- The History Behind the Histories: A Chronology.- Further Reading and Viewing .- References .- Acknowledgements and Picture Credits