Jonathan Bailey is a magnetic king
8 / 10
Bailey is aided by a strong supporting cast. Pierreson’s Bullingbrook is a cool and calculated foil to Bailey’s impulsive king, bringing a powerful renegade energy to the production with his band of rebels. Martin Carroll, who stepped in as John of Gaunt, is desperate in his final moments, pleading for his country, which is being ruined at the hands of Richard. Simkins, no stranger to the Bridge stage having recently starred in its production of Guys & Dolls, is a committed Duke of York, unfailingly loyal even when it means selling out his own son, the Duke of Aumerle. This leads to a humorous scene between the Duke, Duchess of York (Amanda Root), and Aumerle (Vinnie Heaven), as they plead Bullingbrook’s forgiveness, scuttling across the stage on bended knee.
