With all of his charm and criminal bent, Richard III is back on stage, breaking all hell loose, this time in 70s England.
Richard (Ann Noble) is determined to get to the throne, eliminating all obstacles on the way, even if they happen to be his own relatives. Leaving a trail of blood behind, Richard seals his own fate, tearing a whole nation apart in the process. His list of crimes keep growing as the story unfolds.
Richard conspires to pit his two brothers against each other, eventually killing his brother George (Randolph Thompson), causing his other brother King Edward IV (Neill Fleming) to die of despair. Despite having murdered her father-in-law and husband, Richard also seduces Lady Anne (Erika Soto). In addition, Richard kidnaps and kills his two nephews Prince Edward (Micah Lanfer) and Richard, Duke of York (Brendan Burgos) to clear his way to the English crown. But once in the throne, Henry Richmond, Earl of Richmond (Wesley Guimarães) prepares to invade England and claim the crown.
With plenty of material to work with, Director Guillermo Cienfuegos navigates this play with striking chiaroscuro visuals that reflect the criminal and violent nature of the main character, Richard III. The lighting contrasts heighten the conspiracies and murders instigated by Richard and his goons. Proving once again his directorial skills, Cienfuegos takes Shakespeare’s centuries-old script and turns it into a contemporary and relatable experience, showing that human nature doesn’t change much over time.
The characters in this production exhibit the fears, insecurities, anger, ruthless ambition, and the continuous rumination of revenge, characteristics that have dominated the political arena since the beginning of times. The cast and director achieve a thrilling action on stage, each scene building up the tension for the grand finale, which jolted some people from their seats.
Special kudos to Noble for layering up Richard with humor and damnation, a fascinating duality to energize and polarize this controversial historical figure. Noble adds another electrifying performance to her resume, proving her to take on challenging roles both in classical and contemporary works.
The creative team builds a dynamic stage where the dramatic lighting takes center stage, and the rest of the elements contribute to a lesser extent to keep the action moving forward. It is the lighting that transforms the stage into a cinematic experience, enhancing the transitions and highlighting Richard’s moral debacle and internal anguish.
The discovery of Richard III’s skeleton in 2012 and the revision of historians’ opinion on his character and actions have kept his aura of mystery alive, including his actual physical appearance. Shakespeare’s take on Richard was not based on direct observation, as the king had been dead for more than 100 years. As Dramaturg Dr. Miranda Johnson–Haddad explains for this production, Shakespeare wrote the play based on the writings of three historians, Edward Hall, Raphael Holinshed, and Thomas More, all of whom had their own agendas. As Richard III’s legacy continues to be revised, one thing is for sure, kings and politicians never stop to amaze. They’re just an amusing menagerie of political animals; a sustainable source of comedy and drama for years to come.
A Noise Within proves once again its standing as a leader in exceptional theatre productions in Southern California. The ample stage, lighting system, and remarkable performers and directors allow this theatre to stage plays that are visually striking and thematically relevant
Richard III
A Noise Within
3352 E Foothill Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
Tickets: anoisewithin.org
Performances Feb. 14 – March 8:
• Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7: 30 p.m. / Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.
• Written by William Shakespeare
• Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos
• Starring Lynn Robert Berg, Lesley Fera, Neill Fleming, Samuel Garnett, Wesley Guimarães, Veralyn Jones, Trisha Miller, Alex Neher, Ann Noble, Tony Pasqualini, Erika Soto, Randolph Thompson.
• Featuring Brendan Burgos, Vic Crusaos, Dominick Jaramillo, Micah Lanfer, Sean Umeda.
• Presented by A Noise Within, Geoff Elliot and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, producing artistic directors
Creative team: scenic designer Angela Balogh Calin; lighting designer Ken Booth; sound designer Christopher Moscatiello; projections designer Nick Santiago; costume designer Christine Cover Ferro; wig and makeup designer Tony Valdés; and properties designer Stephen Taylor. Jonathan Rider is fight choreographer, Andrea Odinov is dialect coach, and Dr. Miranda Johnson–Haddad is the dramaturg. Sami Hansen is the production stage manager, assisted by Hope Matthews.
