“Bidden or not bidden, God is present” — a motto that Carl Jung popularized — could serve as the theme statement for Her Majesty & Sons’ adaptation of Richard II. “Adaptation” is an apt word. Not only is Shakespeare’s five-act script boiled down to about 90 minutes, but God is literally present on stage. Specifically, the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, wordlessly interacts with and illuminates Shakespeare’s characters throughout the production.
Embodied by Francesca Marie Chilcote, the Holy Spirit — who, it should be understood, does not appear in Shakespeare’s text, but is a creature of Director Seamus Miller’s interpretation — by her presence focuses attention on a feminine God’s-eye view of the blood sport of late 14th-century English politics. When I say she illuminates the characters, I mean that literally as well as figuratively: the yellow-white orb she carries is often the only source of light on a character’s face in Miller’s intentionally dim and dark lighting scheme. She not only illuminates but comforts and challenges other characters, tenderly caring for the murdered Richard’s soul in a Pietà-like posture while leaving Henry to crown himself, Napoleon-like, in darkness.
Chilcote is a skilled physical actor who opens the production in a 10-minute freeze, holding the crown in an outstretched hand. She flows sinuously among the other actors, sometimes at a distance, other times intimately close, maintaining a serene, dispassionate expression. She tangibly shows God “as an active presence in the messy, delicate, and dangerous political situation,” as Miller comments in his program note. His intent, he said, is to give due recognition to the divine right of kings, a very powerful belief in the late Elizabethan and early Stuart periods.
Miller’s background, like that of many of the cast members, includes a stint at the Academy for Classical Acting (ACA), an intensive training program sponsored by George Washington University and Shakespeare Theater Company. One of ACA’s principles is the belief in “the power of the human body to manifest mythic stories in the theatre.”
The production honors this principle, but it is fair to ask whether it does so at the expense of faithfully presenting Shakespeare’s play. Itself a historical fiction rather than a work of history, Richard II presents a wide array of characters and immerses itself in the details of the dynastic quarrels that ultimately led to the 15th century’s War of the Roses. Human ambitions, betrayals, passions, and murders in a complex and changing ruling class struggle for power occupy the bulk of the text.
Only one character in Shakespeare’s script — the Bishop of Carlisle — speaks at length about the role of God in supporting His appointed monarch, and in context Carlisle’s voice appears to be a lonely one. By centering the production on the mythical element represented by the Holy Spirit, Miller departs from the emphases of the underlying material. Sometimes a concept risks taking over the play.
While dispensing with matters a modern audience might feel get too far into the 14th-century weeds, the adaptation’s shortening of the original text creates challenges. Some key plot points become hard to follow. For example, the effect of Aumerle’s plot to kill Henry in leading to Richard’s eventual murder is less than clear. Given that several actors are cast in multiple roles, with much background left on the cutting room floor, keeping straight which character an actor was playing at a given moment could be tricky.
The production is buoyed by crackerjack acting performances. As Richard, Acacia Danielsson takes her character from an arrogant, arbitrary, sometimes frivolous, king to the reflective, deeper prisoner by show’s end. Samuel Johnson once wrote, “It seems to be the design of the poet to raise Richard to esteem in his fall… In his prosperity, we saw him imperious and oppressive; but in his distress he is wise, patient, and pious.” Danielsson portrays this character arc movingly, in the process delivering Shakespeare’s words with energy and clarity, as in the “death of kings” speech.
Ryan Tumulty is nothing short of brilliant in his quartet of roles, starting with John of Gaunt, whose “sceptered isle” monologue is one of the evening’s highlights. His turns as a gardener, Scroop, and the bishop were clearly distinct and elegantly specific. Terrance Fleming’s Duke of York is a powerful presence as the ambivalent “swing vote” whose decisions largely determine the outcome of the contest between Richard and Henry. Cerra Cardwell makes a strong impression as Northumberland, played as the sort of politically expedient retainer one sees regularly on the TV news (for some reason, Lindsey Graham kept coming to mind). Ryan Sellers did well to characterize Henry as an exemplar of the will to power, never thinking too deeply about the path he was taking but determined to take it, whatever the cost.
The show’s set is basically the interior of the Church of the Resurrection, with a large throne upstage center. The production makes extensive use of its levels and center aisle, though space restrictions in the building limit movement options. The colors of Anna DiGiovanni and Rachel Felstein’s costumes are generally subdued, in keeping with the dimness of the lighting design, the exception being the Holy Spirit’s pure white, shaman-like, outfit. Having the Holy Spirit go barefoot was a good choice, underlining her connection to the world that is as important as her divinity.
Everyone who has worked in theater knows the feeling of being told that they have been involved in an “interesting” show. This Richard II is interesting both in that sense and in the sense of something that creates grist for genuine intellectual questioning and discussion. That, plus the top-notch acting, make seeing the performance worthwhile.
Running Time: 90 minutes, with no intermission.
An Adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Richard II plays March 3 to 12, 2022, presented by Her Majesty & Sons performing at the Church of the Resurrection, 501 E Street SE, Washington, DC, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., and Saturdays at 7 and 9:30 p.m. (Note that the sign on the building refers to a Baptist church rather than to the Church of the Resurrection.) Tickets are $30 and $15 and can be purchased online.
COVID Safety: Patrons are asked to wear masks throughout the performance.
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