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"As visualized by director Nic Dimond, the struggle for the throne of England is a family
affair ... as intimate as that of a Eugene O'Neill drama." — Windy City Times
"Richard III is razor-sharp" — Daily Herald
"All in all, electrifying."— ArtsJournal.com
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February 23, 2008
through March 29
Friday & Saturday 8pm Sunday 7pm
Tickets $20 ($15 student/senior)
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Nic Dimond's lean, mean production of Richard III is anchored by a charismatic title role performance by
Strawdog ensemble member John Henry Roberts and a soulful one by Jennifer Avery as Queen Elizabeth. The fine
supporting cast barely fits all at once in Strawdog's tiny performance space, but Joe Schermoly's
pared-down set makes the most of the claustrophobia. All in all, electrifying.
— "About Last Night" on ArtsJournal.com( see full article)
The production reflects the company's trademark approach to Shakespeare, which involves paring the text to its
essentials. The result is a crisp, contemporary adaptation that comes in at an unheard-of two hours and 15 minutes.
But Dimond's prudently trimmed and tweaked, briskly paced production is no speed-through. It's a tightly focused
show, propelled by a primed, well-rehearsed cast and Miles Polaski's slashing, propulsive score that pairs
orchestral pomp with angry guitars to great effect.
— Daily Herald
( see full article)
As visualized by director Nic Dimond, the struggle for the throne of England is a family affair, its intricacies marked by
intrigues forged among individuals within a circle as intimate as that of a Eugene O'Neill drama. The reduced logistics
engendered by this approach, in turn, render the play's convoluted plot more coherent than in conventionally-cluttered productions...
there is no faulting the performances of James Anthony Zoccoli as the betrayed Buckingham, Anita Deely as a refreshingly composed Lady Anne
and Janet Ulrich Brooks as a likewise refreshingly articulate Margaret of Anjou. The centerpiece of the evening, however, is the magnificent
second-act confrontation of Jennifer Avery's feisty Elizabeth with John Henry Roberts' nerdy school-shooter Richard, whose wiles cannot sway
his stubborn adversary to compliance ... this Clash of Wills—which we barely remember in other productions—is well worth the wait.
— Windy City Times ( see full article)
Strawdog Artistic Director Nic Dimond, architect of our hit productions of Julius Caesar
and Measure for Measure continues Strawdog's 20th Season exploration of the
theme of dynasty, taking on a mean new cutting of Shakespeare's classic story of a man who
carves his way through his family, cutting every throat that stands between him and the throne.
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