Dragging his clubfoot and hunchback across a clay- and glitter-caked stage, Shakespeare’s most wretched villain weaponizes his ugliness against a kingdom ravaged by its own elite infighting. In this prescient production, German director Thomas Ostermeier (An Enemy of the People, 2013 Next Wave) laces iambic pentameter with relentless drumming, bringing his trademark pop-cultural canniness to bear. Context is everything, so get even closer to the production with this curated selection of related articles and videos. After you've attended the show, let us know what you thought by posting in the comments below and on social media using #BAMNextWave.
Program Notes
Shakespeare Explains the 2016 Election(The New York Times)
Shakespeare scholar Stephen Greenblatt’s eerily premonitory piece about Richard III and the election of tyrants.
Interview
Lars Eidinger on Richard III, Hitler and Trump(The Saturday Paper)
“What an idea! He takes revenges, but imagine – to take revenge for something you did to yourself!”
Infographic
Richard III: Wars, Roses, Family, Tree (BAM blog)
Shakespeare’s History Plays can be a bit dizzying to track. Do a little prep with this handy guide from the BAM blog archives.
Watch & Listen
The life of German theater director Thomas Ostermeier (YouTube)
Director Thomas Ostermeier on “digging deep and getting dirty,” and the transcendence of right and wrong.
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