Richard II

by William Shakespeare
Directed by Harry Dewar

Opens Saturday 8 August, then Tuesday to Saturday 11-15 and 18-22 August at 7.30pm in the Little Theatre.

"For God's sake, let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings."

About the play:
Shakespeare's Richard II is the first play in a historical tetralogy about the nature of kingship that includes Henry IV (Parts I and II), and Henry V.

In the medieval understanding, there is an intimate connection between Ruler and Realm.  One is virtually equivalent to the other. The "king's body" is both personal and political, and to make war on the King is to make war on the Country.  But what if the actions of the King are harmful to the Country? What then is the right behaviour for the loyal patriot? And if the King is subdued and forced to rule for the good of others, in what sense is he still the King?

The struggle at the heart of Richard II - between Richard Plantagenet and his cousin Henry Bolingbroke (the future Henry IV) - is thus more than an armed conflict. It is a clash between the right of the sovereign to rule and the right of the realm to good governance. 

The play is also about the journey Richard makes towards self-knowledge, as his political fall opens the door to personal wisdom.

The Theatre Guild is delighted to revisit Richard II for the first time since 1969, when it presented Alan Brissenden's acclaimed production in Union Hall.  Interestingly, that production 40 years ago also marked the Theatre Guild debut of former Chair, John Edge, who returns in this production in the role of John of Gaunt.

Cast: Mollie Birch, Eleanor Boyd, Geoff Brougham, Anita Canala, Brett Carruthers, Joshua Coldwell, John Dexter, Georgia Dodd, Matthew Dowdall, John Edge, Rowena Garcia, Marieka Hambledon, Peter Kentish, Keith Manson, David Mitchell, Blake Parham, Bronwyn Ruciak, Graham Self, Russell Slater and Anna Taylor.

Tickets: $25 Full Price and $20 Concession (Student, Pensioner, Unemployed, Seniors, MEAA, Friends of Barr Smith Library).  Tuesday performances: $15 for current University of Adelaide staff and students.

Bookings:
Tickets for Richard II may be booked through the Theatre Guild on 8303 5999 or online. Phone or online bookings should be collected at the Little Theatre box office no later than 10 minutes before the advertised starting time. In the event of sellout performances, we reserve the right to on-sell tickets booked but not paid for by the advertised starting time.

We offer phone credit card bookings on 8303 5999 (fee applies) and tickets can also be booked through BASS on 131 246 (fee applies). Tickets are normally also available for purchase at the theatre on the night of the performance (cash sales only).

How to find the Little Theatre:
The Little Theatre is a comfortable 120-seat theatre located on the University of Adelaide's Lower North Terrace Campus, in The Cloisters. This is a colonnaded area clearly visible from Victoria Drive on the western side of the pedestrian lights near the University footbridge. The Little Theatre is located in the south-western corner of The Cloisters. After-hours parking (ticket machine) is available in the University grounds: enter Gate 10, Victoria Drive. Please note that there is no reserved seating in the Little Theatre and limited wheelchair access.