A year ago today, David Tennant played his final performance
as King Richard in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Richard II at
the Barbican Theatre in London. William Shakepeare's history tells of a monarch ordained by God to lead his
people but whose weakness and vanity
threatens to divide the great houses of England and drag his people into a
dynastic civil war that will last 100 years.
Directed by Gregory Doran, the cast also included Nigel
Lindsay, Michael Pennington, Oliver Ford Davies, Jane Lapotaire and Oliver Rix.
The play opened at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on
October 17th 2013 (previews from October 10th) and ran
until November 16th. During this time the play was streamed into
cinemas across Britain and round the world as the RSC’s first ever live theatre
broadcast. The recording was also streamed into UK schools with David and
Gregory talking part in a live Q&A session for pupils across the country. The
company then transferred to the Barbican in London with previews from 9th
December and opening on 12th December. The production closed on
Saturday 25th January 2014.
Critical reaction was on the whole very positive, mostly praising David's nervy portrayal of a brittle monarch faced with a loss of his power as a consequence of his own vanities. Much was also made of David's look for the role which consisted of a lengthy set of hair extensions that he wore from late September until the play's close in late January. Coupled with his long flowing robes and gold painted nails he made an androgynous, fey figure in stark contrast to the muscular, armour-clad lords who surrounded him and looked to take his crown by force.
This year the play is eligible for a What’s On Stage Award
and David Tennant has also been nominated as Best Actor In A Play.
Richard II is nominated in the Best Play Revival
Category. The Royal Shakespeare Company's artistic director Gregory Doran is also nominated
for Best Direction for Richard II.
The nominations and winners are selected by you, the fans
and voting is only open for the next 7 days.
Cast your votes here!
Voting closes on Saturday 31st January
The winners will be announced on 15th February.
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