Richard II

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s acclaimed production was filmed at The Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2013 before enjoying a sell-out run at The Barbican in London. Shakespeare’s tense First History play explores themes of flawed leadership and vanity and looks at what happens when a ruler’s personal demons threaten to overshadow national stability. Directed by Sir Gregory Doran in his first production as Artistic Director, David Tennant, best known in Britain for playing the Tenth Doctor in the BBC’s longstanding science fiction series Dr. Who, gives an unpredictably intense and gripping performance as the conflicted King lending star quality to the monarch. The ensemble cast which includes Shakespeare stalwarts Michael Pennington, Oliver Ford Davies OBE and Jayne Lapotaire received top reviews from audiences and critics alike. It stands out as a timelessly political work.