There is something wonderfully incongruous about a king losing his crown among fluffy orange furnishings. At Greenwich Theatre, Get a Proper Job Theatre Company brings Shakespeare’s Richard II into a sparse 1970s living room, where the furniture is garish and the struggles for power remain as ugly as ever, writes Leo Dunlop.
Adapted and directed by Duncan Hoare, this is a modest staging of a beautiful, sweeping play. Its domestic setting brings the quarrels of royalty into close quarters, although the all-female production does not always find the scale and weight that this epic story deserves. Liliana Butler’s design establishes the period, but the significance of the Seventies backdrop feels less sharply defined.
There is, however, much to appreciate in the performances. Sara Casanova’s Richard commands the space, with a presence that gives the monarch’s authority a tangible physical quality. In a production with relatively little to hide behind, that ability to hold the stage counts for a great deal.
Ffion Austin is a particular standout as Joan of Gaunt, delivering Shakespeare’s language with the emphasis and ferocity it deserves. There is conviction in the performance, allowing the verse to land with compelling force.
The cast also handles the demands of multiple roles with assurance. Characters are clearly defined, helping us navigate the changing allegiances without losing our footing. And there is more laughter than one might expect, with several moments drawing huge laughs from the audience.
For all its limitations, this Richard II finds moments of humour and feeling within its grand tale of power and loss. The production is at its strongest when it gives its actors, and Shakespeare’s extraordinary language, room to speak.
Adapted and Directed by Duncan Hoare. Assistant Director: Ffion Austin.
