RIIICHARD: A forthcoming American event

This play is to be performed in a latino theatre in New York on 18th and 19th December and streamed online those evenings (EST). The dialogue is partially in Spanish, although the English part will explain a lot. The new playwright (Norman Briski) has used Shakespeare’s parody as a departure point before making it more…

Snow at Tewkesbury, and a pile of bodies for Richard III….

Believe it or not, the above is supposedly the Battle of Tewkesbury. At least, it is according to the BBC website. Tewkesbury was in May. Silly author. The picture is of Towton, which took place in the middle of a snowstorm. The article itself is referring to Henry VI, Part 3 – first transmitted in the UK:…

Second Verdict

This is Stratford Johns, who featured heavily in Z-Cars and Softly, Softly. In spring 1976, with his co-star Frank Windsor, their characters appeared in Second Verdict, investigating six mysteries, of which the “Princes” were the second. It should be possible to locate a recording of this programme.

Playwrights and persistent historical myths

Today in 1564, Christopher Marlowe (right) was baptised in Canterbury. One of the plays for which he is most famous is       Edward II (left), traditionally dated a year before his own 1593 death. In it, he fuels the myth of Edward meeting his end by a red-hot poker. This is cited by Starkey in…

A year of anniversaries

2016 has been the 1000th anniversary of Edund Ironside’s accession and death, also of the death of his father Ethelred Unraed and the double accession of Cnut of Denmark. It has also been the 950th anniverary of the battles of Stamford Bridge and Hastings, being the end of the House of Wessex after its interruption.…

A forthcoming event – in Texas

A full cast reading of “Richard, Son of York”, a new play, will be performed at Texas Lutheran University on Tuesday 19 April at 19:30 (and only that day):

The Propaganda of Charles II

Guest author Richard Unwin explains the context behind the discovery of those convenient bones: Charles II came to the throne in 1660 after the period of Commonwealth when England, and particularly its entertainments, had been suppressed by Puritan authority. The security of the new reign was precarious and there were many in the country opposed…

A country-house murder mystery with a Ricardian theme….

For those Ricardians who like country-house murder mysteries, here’s one with a Ricardian theme. Mixed reviews, but I don’t think it’s anti-Richard. It was originally written in 1974, so apparently shows its age a little. But then, don’t we all? <g> The Amazon link wouldn’t work properly, so here’s a TinyURl: http://tinyurl.com/hw4u2fh    

More events of interest concerning Richard III….

Elizabeth of York (Emma Sian Cooper) and Professor John Skelton (Taresh Solanki). Picture: Nadeem Chugtai Make a note of the following links:- http://www.hinckleytimes.net/news/local-news/chance-quiz-richard-iii-academics-9847864 and http://www.kenilworthweeklynews.co.uk/what-s-on/local-listings/play-aims-to-challenge-views-on-richard-iii-1-6899672

A Defense of Olivier’s Richard the Third

Laurence Olivier once took a bullet for Richard. Well, not a bullet, exactly, but an actual arrow shot into his unprotected calf from a professional archer during the making of his 1954 film “Richard the Third.”  Sir Laurence would go on to take many more arrows in his career – from being pilloried for “The…