Both Martin and Jamie Lloyd have refuted claims (via Twitter) that the audience has behaved anything less than perfectly.

 

Wow, I am jealous. 
Have a lot of fun.

Well, that are clear words. Thanks, Susi ... and Martin. 

And I like to add once more, that I don't need my doctors clean shaven. I really love the beard.

gently69 wrote:

Well, that are clear words. Thanks, Susi ... and Martin. 

And I like to add once more, that I don't need my doctors clean shaven. I really love the beard.

 
Yeah, he really looks very handsome with the beard. 

Normally it is my taste neither. But with Martin ... yes ... really nice!!!

Read at least a summary. I saw a production here in Germany last week and was glad that I could remember the complicated family relationships. 

I'm going to see Richard III on July 19th - really looking forward to it!!  Sounds like it's going to be an exciting production.
Don't know the play at all - so thought I'd better read it.  Just got to Act III and I think it's going to be amazing.  I get a bit confused about what has happened historically leading up to the events in the play.  A lot of stuff is referenced about previous characters being murdered etc. but it's not really clear exactly what's happened.  I think it probably won't matter on the night though.

I've seen a bit of Shakespeare before - and I think it is definitely better to be a bit familiar with the play if possible - just to try and not miss out on stuff!

Last edited by DorsetDeb (July 11, 2014 4:29 pm)

Here's a review by the chief theater critic of The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/19/theater/in-london-the-latest-richard-iii-is-a-bureaucrat.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSectionSumSmallMedia&module=pocket-region&region=pocket-region&WT.nav=pocket-region

It's not particularly flattering...

 

I think there is either hate or love for this play. I saw some bad reviews  (guardian, Telegraph) and some very good (for example (spoiler galore!) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/10958942/Richard-III-Trafalgar-Studios-chilling.html and http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/theater-review-richard-iii-at-718971 ). Loads of people on twitter like it (inclusive Ken Follet), some few don't. 

Those expecting the same canon-Shakespeare Richard III just in 70 set would be dissapointed. No Olivier Richard, no Sher Richard. The choosen set has a great importance for the way Richard is played and those not knowing that era might not understand all decisions made by Lloyd.

I lived myself 14 under a dictatorship (partially in the set era), my family lived under 3 different ones, i so can see the symbolistic - it is spot on for the times i lived. And i would have been very disspointed had Lloyd choosen just to bring in the modern times the play but not the persons in the play. Lloyd had maybe too much symbols and that might be tricky to get if you lived for your whole life in a peacefully democracy and you are not interested in the european history of XX century - his interviews are very interesant if you want to understand his vision. It is a very particular one, not for everybody to like. It would been far easier if they have choosen to play in a conservative way the expected villain Richard, they went on other jurney - wenn you do that you have to be prepared you won't get only love.

For the people going to see it, may be helpful to look at the footage of the european dictatorships of that times and look a bit at those dictators to get it. 

£15 Richard III tickets for August and 1st September go on sale at 10am this morning. Man, I'm so excited that I actually ended up having a dream I was in a play with Martin last night...and he let me stay at his house because it was nearer and we hung out together all day and travelled in to the theatre together every night and became best buddies.