Richard II - Almeida

I see they’ve released more tickets today for the entire run - members and first-wave public bookers who missed out on seats they wanted might feel aggrieved.

They will swap tickets anyway

He also did the mud wrestling Midsummer Night's Dream and the jelly fight The Changeling at the Young Vic.

Thanks for the clarification re the muddy midsummer's, was wondering earlier if that was also him, wasn't a fan of that or the measure for measure so should probably adjust my 'have to book it's SRB' expectations now. 

Running time: 1hr 40mins (no interval)

Text cut by dramaturg Jeff James.

Review to follow.

The Tragedy of King (of the Jungle?) Richard II, OR

I'm An Audience Member...Get Me Out Of Here!

No adverts, we're straight in to:

a prison cell (grey-jigsaw-piece cube of a set, if you're on the far sides get ready. If you haven't booked aim for the low numbered seats as a lot happens stage left which the high numbered seats will miss out on a lot.)

If you don't like the drab set, you're screwed, as that's your lot throughout, favouring "movement" over set changes.

We start near the end of the play, then flash back to the start.

Dramaturg Jeff James has cut cut cut old Bill down to 1hr 40mins and if you've never seen the play before, good luck!

But if you have to get home to Salisbury afterwards as we did, the shortened version helps a lot.

SRB in casuals: black jeans and a t shirt.

SRB acting-staple-tick of "Bum Rubbing" noted at least 7 times. Yay!

Leo Bill fans, get ready for Leo Bill Builder's Bum opportunities. Lots of squatting from Bolingbroke.

Andddd Buckets.

Lots of labelled buckets:

"Blood", "Water", "Soil".

They get chucked around.

By mid-show, SRB looks like a cross between a defeated Tough Midder participant, and a post-challenge I'm A Celebrity... contestant.

Except we've had none of the fun, joy, or tension that either of the above events would provide.

The Ensemble (we think) are boxers for some reason?

One of the actresses is VERY annoying... but mainly because she is "acting"...a lot.

There is a lot of glove throwing...

In fact, there is a "hilarious" glove fight, mid show, but only the creative team seemed to be laughing.

3 people left in the circle during a low lit scene.

(There are about 4 low lit scenes during which to escape, should one choose to).

It really did feel like a 1hr 40minute ep of I'm a Celeb.

The only highlight was hearing the "Sceptred Isle" speech, as it's always gonna chime with the state of the nation and obviously does so at the moment (especially after tonight's shambles in parliament).

This highlight quickly passes.

They use a bucket of water for the mirror at one point too. Eyebrows raise and nods of "well that was slightly inventive".

But then we're back to I'm a Celebrity.

SRB gets a lot of asleep-time in the jungle, sorry! on the floor, despite the brevity of the running time.

After a tussle with the crown (Props to whoever chose to use bendy metal!), and your last low lit scene (last chance to escape before the brightly lit curtain call) it's over.

SRB is covered in fake blood, soil, water (for a second time...) and will ultimately secure the best production photo.

He's finally got to do his Richard II.

Unfortunately, he's had to do it wayyyyy over the right age and, doubly unfortunately, in this production.

Joe Hill Gibbons has had some fun in his grey playground.

But have the audience?

And where the hell were Holly and Ant?

Now that does sound special. So perhaps I should approach this as a completely different play.
Were there balloons after all?

Just selecting one I have seen at random, the RSC one with Alex Jennings ran 3:20 including interval, so approximately 80 minutes have been cut, not quite half. As with the Donmar "Measure For Measure" this must mean entire scenes, subplots and characters have been cut.  

Disappointing. I cannot imagine a latex glove making as satisfying a noise if you throw it as a challenge.

Thank you nash16 for that. Well, I’ll be seeing this with some friends in January. They are gonna hate it. I’m gonna hate it I expect but I love SRB so will take my medicine dutifully. Gonna eat beforehand so sounds like nothing too rich or sickly...
Starting at the end? A trend? They done it at the NT Ant & Cleo to no great effect.

Im booked for 2 February matinee, this all sounds ghastly but ive missed too many of SRB in classical roles so will see this through but...

Me too, I will look for a fellow wincer.

SRB is still allowed to do his great thing, and because there is no set the words come crisply, so the SRB lovers will still be happy with him, if not the production.

And he does pitiful like no other, so when he's fully covered in water and soil it's like PEAK SRB.

Booked for January 1st. Even if the production is not that great, SRB is always reliable and my Stalls ticket is only a tenner