The Brussels Shakespeare Society, with the support of
The Fry Group, presented Henry VI, parts 1, 2 and 3, and Richard III,
directed by Colma O'Luanaigh & Catriona White, from the 3rd to the
8th of March - performed as two plays on separate nights.The four plays were abridged to form two shows, one of Henry VI parts 1 & 2, the other of Henry VI Part 3 & Richard III.
This abridged version of Shakespeare's four Histories brought to audiences one of the bloodiest and most tumultuous periods of English history, known as the "Wars of the Roses". Kings, Queens, Princes, infamy, treachery, war, greed, a lust for power and an infamous, hump backed villain. Sound familiar?
For those that enjoyed RR Martin's "Game of Thrones" and Philippa Gregory's "White Queen", don't forget that Shakespeare did it first!
Some notable feautures:
- Longest production I have ever been in: approximate running time (including interval) was 3.15 hours.
- The scenes featuring the French court in Henry VI Parts 1 and 3 were performed in French. I managed to escape that.
- I doubled. In the first play, I played the Earl of Suffolk - later made Duke, the lover of Queen Margaret. In the second play I was Ratcliff, an acolite of King Richard.
