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★★★★★
Last month I headed to Folkestone Live festival for the day, getting to experience one of three Kent arts festivals which are taking place this Autumn. As part of the schedule, Slade Wolfe Enterprises Ltd presented three of their shows which were recently at the Edinburgh Fringe: ‘1 King, 2 Princes & Shakespeare’s Lie’, ‘After Shakespeare’ and ‘Baker Street Ladies’. At the Fringe I watched the latter and was inspired by the attention to detail in the portrayals of the women from the Sherlock Holmes series. Skip forward to September and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to watch another one of their reimagined historical or classic works at Folkestone Live and found ‘1 King, 2 Princes & Shakespeare’s Lie’ to be a brilliant, topical piece of theatre.
About the play
Richard III, the 15th-century King is largely remembered for being a tyrant and a vicious ruler, taking on the role of a villain in Shakespeare’s play of the same name. I haven’t had the chance to watch the Bard’s play, but Shakespeare’s interpretation of the historical figure is well known for being unfavourable and it is this version that is forever etched in most people’s memory. The play looks to question perceptions of the King, shining a light on the limited evidence to suggest that Richard III was indeed a conniving murderer and instead shifting the focus onto all of the good things the late King did for everyday people.
Themes and cultural impact
I can’t claim to know much about this period of history, but I think it is fascinating when theatre challenges public perception and forces audiences to look at public figures differently. ‘1 King, 2 Princes & Shakespeare’s Lie’ does exactly this; questioning the persona that has been passed down the generations. Even if you aren’t familiar with the time period, you will quickly pick up on the relatable themes, such as misinformation and political bias, especially given the immediate fall of the House of York and the merge with the House of Lancaster after the King’s death. Audiences are even given the opportunity to vote at the end, deciding which version of Richard they truly believe is real and at the Folkestone performance this generated some excellent debate post-show.
Compelling performance
The material is brilliantly acted, with performer and writer Andrew Slade really leaning into the evil persona that Shakespeare created for Richard III at the start of the performance. What is most intriguing though is the ‘real’ interpretation of the King, who is incredibly human and encourages you to see past what you think you know about the monarch. This Richard III is deeply appreciative for the opportunity to set the record straight, but never is the character persuasive. The performer encourages you to make up your own mind and I think there’s something very important about that in today’s world.
I really hope the theatre company takes this play to other arts festivals around the UK. It is incredibly powerful and genuinely encourages you to do your own research on Richard III upon leaving the venue. Slade Wolfe Enterprises Ltd have created a really thought-provoking and reflective piece of theatre.
*My ticket for ‘1 King, 2 Princes & Shakespeare’s Lie’ was gifted in exchange for festival coverage.
Thank you for coming! So glad you enjoyed it!