A superb evening. There was a necessarily charismatic Richard in Arthur Hughes whose much-trumpeted ‘real disability’ turned out to be completely unimportant. I liked the Versace-look of his coronation robe which fitted his character with its obsessive self-regarding ‘me, me, me’ attitude.
The whole play was superbly dynamically staged and the exceptionally long first part (2 hours!) unfolded rapidly and grippingly with no longeurs. The music very effective particularly the fine treble
Loved creative physicality of making the ghosts form Richard’s and Richmond’s horses, with appropriate results for both. Margaret (Minnie Gale) very fine with her neurotic twitching and, again, physicality, being very powerful. Another disability perhaps?
The plain set was dominated by Cenotaph-like structure which came into its own in the final scene with laying of wreath of red and white roses at foot. As we approached this moment, I wondered if it would work or seem trite but it worked. And there was nicely creative use as screen for the two eve of battle speeches by Richmond and Richard – and technically appropriate for both – Richmond slick and smooth, Richard frankly amateurish-looking. There was excellent casting of Richmond being very blandly good-looking
It struck me that very little poetry in the play and so moments when it did occur (e.g. Clarence’s dream) was all the more effective.