Ian Bartholomew Stars as RICHARD III at Nottingham Playhouse, Now thru Nov 16

Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company & York Theatre Royal presents RICHARD III by William Shakespeare, running tonight, 25 October - 16 November at Nottingham Playhouse, directed by Loveday Ingram, with designs by Simon Higlett and lighting designer Mark Jonathan, starring Ian Bartholomew as Richard III.

Nottingham Playhouse's landmark fiftieth anniversary season continues this autumn with the first major production of Shakespeare's Richard III since the discovery of the bones of the last Plantagenet monarch just thirty miles away in Leicester earlier this year. Noted director Loveday Ingram directs a cast led by her husband Ian Bartholomew as Shakespeare's most celebrated villain in one of the most chilling portrayals of political tyranny ever written. This follows Bartholomew's critically acclaimed performance as Arturo Ui at Nottingham Playhouse in autumn 2011.

Drawing on forensic evidence that has come to light through the unearthing of Richard's remains, this production also explores the parallels between the devious king, who is full of paranoia, humour and irresistible charm, and our modern world of political monsters; men who have led campaigns of fear and oppression with seductive rhetoric and persuasiveness, in the pursuit of absolute power.

Bartholomew is joined by Luke Aungles, Nathan Bull, Natalie Burt, Tim Chipping, Jim Creighton, Charles Daish, Patrick Daunt, Jake Dunn, Paul Greenwood, Nyasha Hatendi, Sean Jackson, Siobhan McCarthy, Abigail McKern, Sam Oatley Paul Slack and Milo Twomey. The production is designed by award-winning designer Simon Higlett and lit by Mark Jonathan.

2013 has seen acclaimed director Loveday Ingram's return to the theatre with These Shining Lives, the opening production of London's hottest new venue The Park Theatre. Loveday trained with the legendary John Barton at the Royal Shakespeare Company, who she then assisted for 4 years. She has directed musicals and plays in the West End and has worked extensively in the UK and Ireland. She was Associate Director at Chichester Festival Theatre for 3 years and is currently in development with her new adaptation of Aphra Behn's The Rover with the theatre.

Ian Bartholomew has worked extensively as an actor in theatre, television, radio and film over the last 35 years in a career that has encompassed the Richard Eyre and David Hare years at The National Theatre seasons at the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as numerous West End and regional appearances. His television work includes, Spooks, Florence Nightingale, Thieves Like Us, New Tricks, Minder Bergerac and many more. On film he has appeared in Shiner, Breakout, Max and Helen, Eisenstein and Prayer for the Dying.

The production of Richard III is followed by Kenneth Alan Taylor's farewell to pantomime with Jack and The Beanstalk at Nottingham Playhouse from November 29. This tops a memorable autumn season for the theatre which has also included a radical new staging of George Orwell's 1984, (***** 'a classic with such steely power that it chills brain, blood and bone' The Times) in a co-production with "the country's most exciting touring company" (Daily Telegraph) Headlong and Charlie Peace: His Amazing Life and Astounding Legend a new play by celebrated Nottingham writer Michael Eaton, starring Peter Duncan and Norman Pace.

Other highlights in Nottingham Playhouse's fiftieth anniversary year have included the phenomenal success of the European premiere of the stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, the children's show Grandpa in My Pocket and the innovative Lost Plays Revue, a series of short plays in celebration of Nottingham Playhouse's past, present and future

Giles Croft, Artistic Director at Nottingham Playhouse, said: After his superb performance as Brecht's Arturo Ui, Ian Bartholomew floated the idea of tackling one of the plays that inspired Brecht's gripping morality tale, Richard III. A play about the terrible use and abuse of power, so resonant today, was an exciting prospect. We confirmed the production ahead of the news that the King's remains had been found in Leicester, but now it falls to us to deliver the first major production since that historic discovery. I cannot think of anyone better suited to portray the full force of Shakespeare's charming, malevolent villain that Ian, supported by the superb cast Loveday Ingram has assembled.

N ottingham Playhouse Theatre Company & York Theatre Royal present RICHARD III at Nottingham Playhouse, Wellington Circus, Nottingham NG1 5AF. Evenings: Mon - Sat, 7.30pm; Matinees 1.30pm: Thurs 31 Oct, Sat 2 Nov, Tues 5 Nov, Thurs 7 Nov, Sat 9 Nov, Tues 12 Nov, Thurs 14, Sat 16 Nov. Tickets: £8.50 - £27.50 (Under 26s £8.50). Box office 0115 941 9419 or www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk.

York Theatre Royal is located at St Leonard's Pl York YO1 7HD. The show will run there 19th Nov - 30 Nov. Box office 01904 623568 or www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.