★★★★

“Hytner’s direction moves the action at a pace yet there is still time for reflection, and moments of humour too”

‘The Life and Death of King Richard II’, later shortened to “Richard II” is categorised as one of Shakespeare’s History Plays. Even though another early title reads ‘The Tragedie of King Richard the Second’. Tragedy or history, though, it bursts onto the stage as a modern-day thriller with Nicholas Hytner’s stirring interpretation. The story of a man whose symbol of power is of more concern to him than his duties has a chilling resonance today. Jonathan Bailey’s unpredictable ruler, however, is an eccentric soul, with a degree of vulnerability that draws our sympathy (so any comparisons to a contemporary world leader that might spring to mind are soon quashed).

Probably best known for his role in ‘Bridgerton’, Bailey returns to his theatrical roots, stepping into the role that follows some pretty impressive footsteps; John Gielgud, Paul Schofield, Ian McKellen, Timothy West, Derek Jacobi, Fiona Shaw, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Ben Wishaw, Simon Russel Beale, David Tennant… Many a fine pair of shoes to fill, but Bailey slips into the role with ease.

Chronicling the monarch’s downfall, and the intrigues of his nobles – most notably Henry Bullingbrook (later King Henry IV) – the play spans the last two years of Richard’s life. The set is sparse, stark and by default unsettling and menacing – with the unpredictable air of a disused warehouse. We seem to be in a Netflix gangster land. Grant Olding’s sweeping music score sets the scenes, aided by Bruno Poet’s atmospheric lighting. Chandeliers dangle while minimal set pieces rise from the depths, around which men in black lead the dance with a swagger that ultimately trips and falls into tragedy, mourning and a kind of forgiveness.

Hytner’s direction moves the action at a pace yet there is still time for reflection, and moments of humour too. An overuse of dry ice hammers home the film-noir flavour, but otherwise everything is perfectly balanced. Violence gives way to psychological intrigue while the battlefields migrate into the courtroom. Bailey’s performance is undoubtedly the shining light, yet he casts no shadow over the supporting cast who all command the stage in their own way. Royce Pierreson’s Bullingbrook is a tour de force as he struggles to reconcile his need to usurp the throne with his reluctant empathy for a failing king. The first act ends with the two pitching against each other, Bullingbrook armed with a massive cannon while Richard watches from the gallery, dressed in white. The second act ends incredibly poignantly as Bullingbrook gains little comfort from his victory while Richard’s body lies on a hospital gurney, now in black.

In a play where ally can become traitor, and vice versa, at the drop of a hat, the entire cast showers clarity onto Shakespeare’s verse, coupled with powerful emotion. Martin Carroll, who has stepped into the role, gives a wonderful poignancy to John of Gaunt who is desperate for his dying words not to be spoken in vain. But in true Shakespearian fashion, little can be done to halt the wheels of tragedy’s course. And the beauty of the staging leads to us, the audience, being made to feel somehow complicit in the action. Almost traitorous ourselves. It is an enthralling production that closes with an emotional power. A quiet, yet poignant punch, that leaves us quite breathless.

THE GREAT GATSBY at the Theatre Royal Windsor

★★★

“Fans of F Scott Fitzgerald and afficionados of ‘The Great Gatsby’ will not be disappointed”

‘On Air’ productions have become a popular staple of Theatre Royal, Windsor over the past few years, with their adaptations of classics read in an authentic studio setting, The style is that of a vintage radio drama, complete with live sound effects, replicating the medium that reached its height in the 1930s and 1940s. The atmosphere is authentically recreated for the latest production of F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, “The Great Gatsby”, even if we are a bit unsure of which decade of the twentieth century we are entering. The (uncredited) set design is a gorgeous period concoction, more H G Wells than the Jazz Age, onto which the cast assemble as though stumbling out of one of Jay Gatsby’s all-nighters on Long Island.

Foley Artist (Martin Carroll) urges the ensemble to take their positions at the microphones while the Greenwich Time Signal counts down with its pips and the ‘On Air’ sign flickers. There is little, if any, preamble except for a few bars of Sophie Burke’s ragtime soundtrack at the piano. It is a shame as a hint of the dynamics between the cast and crew ‘off air’ would have lifted the show from its resemblance to a rehearsed reading, albeit a faithful and accomplished retelling of the story. Roy Marsden’s staging coasts in a no man’s land where not enough visual concessions are made for a theatre audience.

We all know the story, narrated from the point of view of Nick Carraway – Gatsby’s neighbour during the summer of 1922 – told in the first person. George Banks takes on the mantle to steer us through the narrative. A calm and articulate presence, Banks shifts from the role of narrator to that of his character within the action but makes no alteration in his delivery between the two. With the exception of Carley Stenson’s rich voiced Daisy Buchanan and Charlie Clements’ imposing Tom Buchanan, the rest of the cast double up. Eva O’Hara is a delightfully tipsy, party-loving Lucille but slightly flat as cheating, celebrity golfer Jordan Baker. Holly Smith successfully conveys Myrtle Wilson’s frustrated social status with her musical Bronx twang, cutting to a crisp RP for her minor cameos. Forgive me for any discrepancies as the programme credits don’t necessarily match what is unfolding onstage.

Barnaby Tobias, in the ‘great’ eponymous role appears to be a late replacement, but he has the strongest grasp of characterisation, peeling away the often-misplaced enigma that is Gatsby, to reveal the fast-talking, jittery awkwardness of a man out of his depth. Doubling as garage owner George Wilson he matches Smith’s ability to switch dialect on a dime.

Much of the playing space is given over to the collection of devices at Carroll’s disposal for the live soundscape. Like the overall theatrical concept, it is underused, and like the overall production, tricks have been missed and temptations for innovation have been resisted. We are left with the nagging question of the purpose of the exercise, especially with a story so iconic and recognised. It does, however, work well as a nostalgia piece but even then, it spurns the opportunity for experimentation that the breakthrough in radio drama originally offered nearly a century ago. There is a laziness that runs through, underlined by the dayglo highlighted markings incongruously splashed on the actors’ scripts. Weakening the sense of period it also heightens the feeling that we are guests at a reading.

Fans of F Scott Fitzgerald and afficionados of ‘The Great Gatsby’ will not be disappointed. Marsden’s adaptation is lovingly faithful to the book, but on the page only, which is where it remains in this interpretation, not quite making the journey to the stage in the style Jay Gatsby would have liked to arrive in.

Tag Archives: Martin Carroll

RICHARD II

★★★★

Bridge Theatre

RICHARD II

Bridge Theatre

★★★★

“Hytner’s direction moves the action at a pace yet there is still time for reflection, and moments of humour too”

RICHARD II

Bridge Theatre

Reviewed on 19th February 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Manuel Harlan

Previously reviewed at this venue:

GUYS & DOLLS | ★★★★★ | September 2024

GUYS & DOLLS | ★★★★★ | March 2024

RICHARD II

RICHARD II

RICHARD II

THE GREAT GATSBY

★★★

Theatre Royal Windsor

THE GREAT GATSBY at the Theatre Royal Windsor

★★★

“Fans of F Scott Fitzgerald and afficionados of ‘The Great Gatsby’ will not be disappointed”