Richard II

A broadcast on BBC4 of Shakespeare's Richard II live from the Globe Theatre, London.

This is my favourite Shakespeare play and the first that I saw at the Globe theatre. It was an 'original practices production' with an all-male cast. I feel very lucky that I was able to record this from the TV as it is not available for purchase. A CD is available from the Globe shop featuring music and words form this production, however.

Mark Rylance was wonderful as Richard II. Richard is my favourite Shakespeare character as I love to witness his growth throughout the play which Mark Rylance performed very well. I felt that this production was a little unsympathetic to Richard at the start, though I am sure most would disagree with me; I have a tendency to think him better than he is. However, it was necessary to show his growth throughout the play. Richard makes a poor King, yet as a man he has good qualities and the play explores this division. This production enables us to see this with the intimacy between him and his wife as well as the loyalty of Aumerle.

Though the production was not exactly as I had imagined from reading it (I imagined more pathos in scenes where humour dominated as in his 'little grave' speech), it was thoroughly enjoyable and has been recognised by many for its quality. It featured my favourite living actor, Mark Rylance, and the beautifully spoken and handsome Liam Brennan as Henry Bollingbroke. I love to see these two teamed up as they were in my favourite production ever, Twelfth Night, performed at the Globe.

This was indeed an amazing television production. Having not been an expert on Shakespeare, I was prepared to feel "lost" when I sat down to watch BBC 4's Richard II live from the Globe. On the contrary, I have never felt more drawn into a television experience before. At the beginning the presenter talked with Shakespeare actors and scholars who set up the plot and discussed its themes. And through the course of this film I had the feeling that this is the way it is meant to be seen, in front of a live, reactive audience. It felt alive. The cast was brilliant and want to see more. When will these live performances be available on DVD?

Although the film quality isn't the best, this is a rare recording of the men's company's 2003 performance at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in Bankside, London. It stars Mark Rylance in the title role. In 2005, he will step down from 10 years as the artistic director of the Globe. Anyone who has seen his performances knows his skill and sheer sense of enjoyment at performing Shakespeare.

My wife and I were present during this performance to a sold-out crowd. To see this performance is to see one of Shakespeare's history plays done at its best. As with many Globe productions, it was done in "original practice," meaning the staging (including men playing all the roles), costumes, props, and music are all true to historical Elizabethan practice.

I highly recommend viewing this play, as well as any other at the Globe.