Richard III

Synopsis: A video recording, using a single, fixed camera, of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 1984 production of Richard III. Directed by Bill Alexander with Antony Sher as Richard.
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Video
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Recording date: 9 Jan 1985
Duration: 194 mins

Director

Bill Alexander

Writer

William Shakespeare

Music

Guy Woolfenden

Production Design

William Dudley

Cast

Harold Innocent	King Edward IV
Yvonne Coulette	Duchess of York
Stephen Derby	Prince Edward (Prince of Wales)
Timothy Luckett	Richard, the young Duke of York
Roger Allam	George, Duke of Clarence
Adam Bareham	Lord Rivers
Alison Rose	Court Lady
Andrew Hall	Marquis of Dorset
Andrew Jarvis	Duke of Norfolk
Andrew Jarvis	Archbishop of York (Cardinal)
Andrew Jarvis	Tressel
Andy Readman	Lord Grey
Andy Readman	Earl of Surrey
Antony Sher	Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard
Brian Blessed	Lord Hastings
Brian Parr	Murderer (1)
Charles Millham	Berkeley
Charles Millham	William Brandon
Charles Millham	Earl of Surrey
Charlotte Williams	Margaret Plantagenet
Christopher Ravenscroft	Earl of Richmond
Dominic Wilson	Edward Plantagenet
Donald McKillop	Bishop of Ely
Frances Tomelty	Queen Elizabeth
Graham Hepburn	Alderman
Graham Hepburn	Scrivener
Guy Fithen	Sir Walter Herbert
Guy Fithen	Keeper of the Tower
Hannah Winters	Margaret Plantagenet
Ian Mackenzie	Sir Richard Ratcliffe
Jim Hooper	Ghost of King Henry VI
Jim Hooper	Sir James Tyrrel
Jonathan Scott-Taylor	Sir James Blunt
Liz Moscrop	Court Lady
Malcolm Storry	Duke of Buckingham
Norman Henry	Lord Mayor of London
Patricia Routledge	Queen Margaret
Paul Gregory	Sir Robert Brackenbury
Penny Downie	Lady Anne
Peter Miles (2)	Stanley, Earl of Derby
Sarah Woodward	Court Lady
Simon Templeman	Sir William Catesby
Sion Probert	Murderer (2)
Steven Pinner	Earl of Oxford
Steven Pinner	Messenger/Guard

Notes: Some smaller roles, and the child roles, were played by more than one actor alternating the parts - it is not known which actor played the part on the RSC’s recordings.
General: Sher played the role using crutches and gave an interpretation which has become a theatrical landmark, prompting the phrase ‘the bottled spider’ to describe Sher/Richard’s physical appearance.
History: Press night 19 June 1984. The production transferred to the Barbican.
Awards: Antony Sher won an Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance as Richard.
Stills: Stills from, and design notes on, the production are available on the Arts and Humanities Performing Arts Data Service (AHDS) at http://ahds.ac.uk/performingarts/collections/designing-shakespeare.htm
Reviews: Sher, Antony Year of the King: an Actor’s Diary and Sketchbook (London: Chatto & Windus, 1985) gives a detailed and highly illuminating account of Sher’s personal experiences and preparation for the role of Richard.

Name: Royal Shakespeare Company
Web: https://www.rsc.org.uk External site opens in new window
Address: Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Waterside
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
CV37 6BB

British Universities Film & Video Council