Richard III

Some of Shakespeare's earliest plays are those of the Henry VI trilogy. The NNTT staged this monumental work - which runs nine hours in total - in our Playhouse theatre in November 2009. The production was praised for its deep substance and grand scale. The NNTT's Henry VI took the theatre world by storm, and memories of the triumph are still fresh in our minds.
The sequel, Richard III, is a popular work in its own right and is frequently staged on its own. It has also been produced numerous times here in Japan. Many of the world's greatest actors have taken their turns in various roles. Shakespeare originally conceived of Richard III as the sequel to Henry VI; most of the characters are the same and its storyline picks up where the other left off. Now, the cast from Henry VI will reunite and reprise their original roles in Richard III.
This has only been done a handful of times even in the UK, and it will be the first such attempt in Japan. The intricate web of ties connecting the various parties vying for the crown that is depicted in Henry VI becomes even more tangled in Richard III, which should make the theatre experience that much richer for the audience.

SYNOPSIS

The Yorkist King Edward IV has seized the crown after emerging victorious in the 30-year War of the Roses. But unbeknownst to Edward, his younger brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, secretly has his own designs on the throne. One by one, Richard schemes to bring down those ahead of him in the line of succession. All the nobles and lords who oppose him are executed. Assisted by his cousin and confidant, the Duke of Buckingham, Richard persuades the people of London that he is the rightful heir to the throne, and he is crowned Richard III.
However, his triumph is short-lived. Richard faces rebellion among the nobles. They throw their support behind Henry Tudor-Earl of Richmond and the grandson of Henry V-who has been living in exile in France, and take up arms against the king.
Richmond arrives in England, leading the rebel forces. They meet King Richard and his troops on Bosworth Field, located in Leicestershire in central England. There they wage a fierce battle, and Richard dies a heroic death when he is killed by Richmond in single combat.

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