Word: richards
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...original portrayal of Richard II cast the ruler as weak, poetic—even feminine—and constantly struggling to live up to his position. The decision by director Meryl H. Federman ’11 to use only female actresses for this production appears to be motivated by this original depiction, and it is a choice that defines the play. The production makes no effort to bring any other new aspects to the script, relying solely on its unorthodox casting to make its claims about femininity...
...very static performance, “Richard II” features little physical action besides two very brief sword fights and the comically repetitive throwing down of gauntlets to challenge enemies. Generally the actors stand in one place and deliver their lines, moving only occasionally to engage the other characters. The stage is similarly uneventful. The intimate Horner Room is barely altered; a throne and the room’s balcony are the totality of the set. The production therefore relies totally on its actresses’ ability to shed new light on their characters...
...Richard, second year Harvard Law School student Nicole Kinsley is remarkably successful in uncovering unexplored depths of her character. Her performance as the king is the undoubted triumph of the production and lends some justification to the use of an all-female cast. Initially, she seems uncertain in the role; it is very apparent that she is a woman trying rather unsuccessfully to play a man. As the play progresses, it becomes evident that this characterization is deliberate: Kinsley’s struggles with masculinity mirror those of Richard’s with kingship. Eventually, Kinsley blossoms, becoming a fascinatingly...
...explore femininity in politics leaves Hecht with nowhere to progress. She can’t revert to femininity, because Henry simply becomes less confident rather than more womanly. This plot progression allows her no other option but to simply retreat into the background and let her personality fade, leaving Richard free to dominate the stage...
...character exposes the essential flaw in Federman’s scheme. Having a woman play the king is fascinating, but having women play all of the other roles too is essentially meaningless. Exactly the same effect, or an even stronger one, could have been created with Kinsley as Richard and more conventional casting. Almost all of the supporting performances are strong, particularly that of second year HLS student Mary R. Plante as Bolingbroke’s father, John of Gaunt. However, these depictions don’t tell us anything new about the characters...