Richard II
by William Shakespeare
Two Pence Theatre Company
Chicago
2013
set by Dan Stratton
costumes by Izumi Inaba
lights by Jessica Carson
sound/music composition by Jeff Kelley
violence by Justin Verstraete
Two Pence Theatre Company
Chicago
2013
set by Dan Stratton
costumes by Izumi Inaba
lights by Jessica Carson
sound/music composition by Jeff Kelley
violence by Justin Verstraete
photos by Austin D. Oie
“The Two Pence Theatre Company effectively transports us back to 14th century England, to watch as Richard’s world crumbles around him.
Two Pence’s production is a skilled one, despite the challenges inherent in the script. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is the family tree. Unless the audience has an in-depth knowledge of British Royal history, figuring out how all the characters are related is puzzling. This production takes care of that problem with a handy flow chart chalked out on one of three blackboards that make up the set...The rest of the set is sparse but the few pieces are effectively used.
Two Pence’s production is a skilled one, despite the challenges inherent in the script. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is the family tree. Unless the audience has an in-depth knowledge of British Royal history, figuring out how all the characters are related is puzzling. This production takes care of that problem with a handy flow chart chalked out on one of three blackboards that make up the set...The rest of the set is sparse but the few pieces are effectively used.
I give high kudos to the cast for delivering excellent and engaging performances. Shakespearean language can be alienating, but the cast mitigates this with incredibly expressive performances... The simplicity of the production helps enhance the stellar performances and compelling script, which is, ultimately, a winning formula."
- Scotty Zacher, Chicago Theater Beat
- Scotty Zacher, Chicago Theater Beat
based in Chicago, working everywhere
kathryn(at)kathrynwalshdirector.com