Performed in German with English subtitles
Commanding centre stage in this full-throttle, raucous adaptation, Shakespeare’s antihero is portrayed as ‘a human firework and a true frontman’ (Stage), displaying a repugnant magnetism difficult to resist.
Resplendent in evening dress, showered in glitter, the victorious Yorks celebrate. Damaged and disfigured, Richard finds no peace among this elite to whom he has never fully belonged. Murdering his way to the throne, exposing conflict and mistrust in his wake, the outsider makes us complicit, addressing us directly to reveal his manipulative plans.
One of Europe’s most distinctive directors, Thomas Ostermeier reinvents classic plays with confrontational, compact interpretations that draw audiences close to the stage action. Setting his gritty production in a clay-lined arena, where visceral materials congeal to suggest something in decay, he presents his Richard III as both a theatrical thriller and study in evil – a visit to our innermost abyss. In the title role, popular German actor Lars Eidinger is part rock star, part stand-up comedian, his darkly charismatic take matched by a score of ferocious live drumming.
More dates: 16–19 Feb – 7.45pm / 19 Feb – 3.30pm
Duration: 2 hours 30 mins/no interval
Age guidance: 14+ (contains nudity and violence)
Ticket and theatre information – tab here
Email enquiry: tickets@barbican.org.uk
