William Shakespeare

Richard III

A co-production of the Hungarian Theatre of Cluj and the Gyula Castle Theatre (Hungary)
Hungarian translation: István Vas

Main stage
RO
14+
2 hours and 40 minutes with one intermission.

King Edward IV
Miklós Bács
 
Edward, Prince of Wales
József Nagy
 
Richard, Duke of York
Bence Visky / Bence Mányoki
 
Duke of Clarence
András Hatházi
 
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards King Richard III
Zsolt Bogdán
 
Young son of Clarence
Bence Mányoki / Melinda Kántor
 
Henry, Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII
András Buzási
 
Archbishop
Miklós Bács
 
Bishop of Ely
Szabolcs Balla
 
Duke of Buckingham
Sándor Keresztes
 
Sir William Catesby
József Bíró
 
Earl Rivers, brother of Queen Elizabeth
Ferenc Sinkó
 
Marquess of Dorset
Balázs Bodolai
 
Lord Grey
Róbert Laczkó Vass
 
Lord Hastings
Attila Orbán
 
Lord Stanley
Lehel Salat
 
First murderer, Sir Richard Ratcliff
Levente Molnár
 
Second murderer, sir James Tyrell
Ervin Szűcs
 
Sir Thomas Vaughan
Alpár Fogarasi
 
Lieutenant of the Tower
Lóránd Farkas
 
Lord Mayor of London
Ernő Galló
 
Citizen
Endre Senkálszky
 
Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of Edward IV
Imola Kézdi
 
Margaret of Anjou, widow of Henry VI
Hilda Péter
 
Duchess of York, mother of King Edward IV, Clarence, and Gloucester
Réka Csutak
 
Lady Anne, widow of Edward, Prince of Wales
Enikő Györgyjakab
 
Mrs. Shore
Tünde Skovrán
 
Daughter of Clarence
Anikó Pethő
 
Fool
Melinda Kántor

directed by
Gábor Tompa
 
dramaturg
András Visky
 
set and costume design
Carmencita Brojboiu
 
original music by
Vasile Şirli
 
choreography
Florin Fieroiu
 
director's assistant
István Albu
 
director's and dramaturg's assistant
Noémi Vajna
 
masks
Ilona Varga-Járó
 
digital media
Zsolt Tofán
 
stage manager
Imola Kerezsy
 
prompter
Imola Kerezsy
Date of the opening: november 19, 2008

“Shakespeare’s bloodiest play is, paradoxically, also his most performed. The nightmare of power mania seems to be a constant of European culture, and is represented in theatre history in an immense variety, but probably never as tenebrously as in Richard III. Even Shakespeare’s happy ending can be understood as an ironic and devastating metaphor of the perpetuation of power for oneself, a power which is able to revive from its own ashes, a power which is best compared to that of the Mafias’. Excepting children – who, of course, are also killed – there isn’t a single character in this play, be they a murderer or one murdered, a man or a woman, a noble, a prince, or a commoner, who isn’t begrimed with blood. The Duke of Gloucester, who mounted the throne of England as Richard III and enjoys virtually unlimited power, explores the possibility of conquering death by challenging the limits of mankind. Behind the tyrant we see Richard the man, who wishes to surpass his condition of being a mere human being. Is it possible to defeat death by totally identifying with it? This is the question of Richard, who makes his own life the object of a completely tragic experiment in the museum of horrors called history.”   András Visky

Opening date: July 5th 2008 (Gyula), November 19th 2008 (Cluj).
Running time: 2 hours and 40 minutes with one intermission.

Not recommended for viewers under the age of 14.


Press review