(seen at the afternoon preview performance on 15th February 2025)
As it heads towards “Bard End” status (someone who has seen all Shakespeare’s plays), the monkey ticks one off its list. And it is a fine specimen.
Nicholas Hytner may have been inspired by Max Bialystock to create “theatre in the square – nobody gets a good view”, aided greatly by master of audience-defeating set designers Bob Crowley (who else?). Still, provided you steer clear of stalls seat C33 in particular, this is a stunning modern-dress political thriller.
Jonathan Bailey captures perfectly the narcissism of a boy King. The audience titter nervously as his crown comes under pressure, gasp at the cruelties and are stunned into silence by his final soliloquy and demise.
Wife Queen Isabel (Olivia Popica) is Princess Kate one moment, Megan the next. A hospital visit proves to be a kind gesture enclosing an iron fist. No wonder John of Gaunt (Martin Carroll, in absent for Clive Wood) expires after delivering an excellent key speech.
Royce Pierreson as Bolingbroke, son of Gaunt, excels in his own drama, from edge-of-seat knife fight to usurper with the firepower to bring down an (ingeniously staged) castle.
The Duke of York (Michael Simkins) rustles up more than 10,000 men for this grand march, and there is keen work from his wife (Amanda Root) and son (Vinnie Heaven) as machinations thicken.
Rather lengthy programme background notes vanish from memory as the real thing plays out in front of us. Using the full capabilities of the Bridge stage and the intimacy of its space, even the many young admirers clearly there for Bailey and nothing else sat transfixed - afterwards chatting animatedly about the story and ideas.
How the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre used to do things, with all the advantages of recent theatre developments added. Do not miss this.
