Richard III

Richard III is Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy. Some theatre-goers might still remember that in Pilsen this play was last performed in 1999, featuring Pavel Pavlovský (premiered on 18 December 1999 and directed by Jan Burian). Although historical sources contain evidence to the contrary, the character of Richard III became, as a result of Shakespeare’s play, synonymous with evil. This crystal-clear evil character has fascinated audiences for centuries. Shakespeare is like the world or like life itself. Every era finds in him what it looks for and what it wants to see. Each great tragedy in history begins with a fight for the throne and ends with the ruler’s death and a new coronation. In each such chronicle, the legitimate ruler drags a long chain of crimes behind himself: he has slaughtered his enemies and then his old allies and annihilated his potential successors. Every step leading to power is stained with murder, violence and perfidy. In this world of kings, bishops, judges, chancellors, lords and military leaders, the only person who wavers over murder is the one whose job it is to kill for money: the hired killer. He is afraid of the Last Judgement, of punishment and of going to hell. He is the only religious person in the whole tragedy who is mindful of his conscience. At the same time he realises that conscience is in contradiction to the laws and order of the world in which he lives. The list of characters is long and so is the list of Richard’s victims. In spite of that, this tragedy also contains elements of comedy.