Reimagined RICHARD III Comes to the Bridewell Theatre in May

Sedos will bring a bold, modern version of Shakespeare’s Richard III to the Bridewell Theatre next month (9-18 May 2024).

This concise, innovative retelling of one of Shakespeare’s most popular history plays does away with duels, grandly dressed nobles and pitched battles, taking us instead to the current seat of power in the United Kingdom: Westminster.

The green benches and corridors buzz with betrayal, deception and plots as our protagonist tries to clear the obstacles blocking his route to the ultimate prize – and then to cling desperately to his position.

Director Dan Edge first came up with the idea for the production when preparing an interview for a directing course and is passionate about telling this old story in a new way, which will allow people who don’t feel Shakespeare is necessarily for them to connect to the play.

He explains: "At the time of my interview, British politics was becoming increasingly divided and hostile in the wake of the Brexit referendum and I saw a lot of parallels between the themes of Richard III and what was going on in Westminster – themes such as ambition, betrayal, political machination, appearance versus reality and the accrual of personal power.

"I saw parallels between the demise of King Edward and the fall of Theresa May, a leader trying to unite an increasingly divided Parliament and country, the machinations of Buckingham and those of Dominic Cummings, a kingmaker ultimately cast aside by the leader he helped build up. But mostly, I saw a link between the rise of Richard and that of another larger-than-life, rhetorically convincing, controversial figure – Boris Johnson.   

"Viewing Richard III in this way allowed me to connect with this play in a way that I have often struggled to when looking at Shakespeare, which can sometimes feel inaccessible. I hope the modern political setting – including casting in a non-traditional way such as women in parts originally written for men – innovative technical elements and the way we are delivering the lines will offer the audience the same insight into the brilliance of Shakespeare."

In a further move to entice audience members who may not wish to see to a full-length Richard III, the script has been cut and edited, so the run time of the show will be approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, including an interval.