Richard III

[GreenEyedGirl]

I just got my next costuming gig, Shakespeare's RIchard III.
I am very excited and a bit daunted by this one.
Now I know that there are some literary types here so does anyone have some good reference/source materials for this play that they can recommend?
Any help offered will be greatly appreciated!

 

[riff]

I can try to look! I'll post some links if I find anything.

 

[Bindii]

I don't - but wow! You can really go to town on this gig...I want to see photo's of some of the costumes when your done!

 

[Bindii]

Here ya go!

http://costume.dm.net/

 

[kotori]

i loved Ian McKellan's film version, but he set it in a 1930s totalitarian state, a la Nazi Germany or Stalinist USSR. The costumes were still great.

The best part was at the end when he was trying to escape, and his jeep like think broke down, so he say's (of course):

"A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!"

 

[Hamletmaschine]

I thought it was: "A horse is a horse, of course, of course..."

 

[Bindii]

I thought it was: "A horse is a horse, of course, of course..."

Lmao!

Thou foul defacer of God's handiwork.

Taken from: Richard III

 

[freescorfr]

Because of you, GEG, I always leer at women's elbows, so I am lookinf forward to the fruits of your research being shared.

The play was too hard for me when I did it at school - Richard the Turd, as our Irish schoolmaster called it, required an understanding of evil which I didn't aquire until the reign of Margaret Thatcher.

 

[Eumenides]

A suggestion:

You might want to get Al Pacino's Looking for Richard. It's a bit egotistical on his part, but it is a "documentary" of him making and shooting parts of Richard III. The costumes are great as they are dark and brooding like the tone of the play.

I believe Kenneth Brannagh did a version of it, but I could be wrong, because I know he did a bunch of the Henry's.

I have more stuff at work. I'll try to get it to you tonight.

I hope you have fun with it. It's too wicked a play not to!

 

[BigDawg69]

The play will be period to Shakespearean time? If not and the period is more ambiguous then perhaps you could look to Kevin Kline's Hamlet. The costumes are ambiguous for period, but really work within the context of the themes and dialogue of the play.

I also saw a really good Richard III at the North Carolina Shakepeare Festival in which Richard's costumes were singled out and not exactly to match the period/style of the rest of the players. At first it was jolting, but worked really well.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

The play will be period to Shakespearean time?

Well, actually, Richard was before Shakespearean time, but we getcha.

I saw Denzel Washington do Richard in Central Park. Wonderful production. He appears far up center, walks down to the apron dramatically, hocks a big lugie, spits on the stage disgustingly, and speaks, "Now is the winter of our discontent..." Very effective.

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

Well, actually, Richard was before Shakespearean time, but we getcha.

I saw Denzel Washington do Richard in Central Park. Wonderful production. He appears far up center, walks down to the apron dramatically, hocks a big lugie, spits on the stage disgustingly, and speaks, "Now is the winter of our discontent..." Very effective.

You ever do Shakespeare DCL?

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Yes. Performed and Directed.

I was just telling an actress last night how much I loved to direct Shakespeare, because there's so much THERE for a director to use, especially if you look at the First Folio (which includes the original spellings...phrases like "you are a bug" read "you are a BUGGE", a directorial clue from the writer on how the line is to be read).

 

[Eumenides]

I think I like DCL

 

[Guest]

Richard III was latest medieval. If your doing it in that time period think really early renaissance fashions, and full plate armour.

Shakespeare was Elizabethan (although most of his works were produced under the reign of James I (VI)) so ruffs and tights.

Otherwise you just have a very bad man who comes from an old powerful family, he siezes control for himself, but he was already used to control. He would be wearing a suit today.

The real Richard III was no worse than a lot of English kings. But the Tudor kings had to villify him to justify a very shakey claim to the throne.

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

Yes. Performed and Directed.

I was just telling an actress last night how much I loved to direct Shakespeare, because there's so much THERE for a director to use, especially if you look at the First Folio (which includes the original spellings...phrases like "you are a bug" read "you are a BUGGE", a directorial clue from the writer on how the line is to be read).

I've been going to the festival in Ashland OR since high school. I sat through a couple of the workshops that the directors put on. I was in awe. It made me understand the facination with Shakespeare form the director point of view.

My fav is probably Coriolanus, only because you dont see it much due to its length.

Titus Andronicus is also good, if not more than slightly twisted....like me....LOL

 

[MunchinMark]

Richard III was latest medieval. If your doing it in that time period think really early renaissance fashions, and full plate armour.

Shakespeare was Elizabethan (although most of his works were produced under the reign of James I (VI)) so ruffs and tights.

Otherwise you just have a very bad man who comes from an old powerful family, he siezes control for himself, but he was already used to control. He would be wearing a suit today.

The real Richard III was no worse than a lot of English kings. But the Tudor kings had to villify him to justify a very shakey claim to the throne.

Me! Damn thing logged me out.

 

[GreenEyedGirl]

Wow and Wow!

Thanks for the suggestions so far from everyone. The director has not decided whether or not to do the play in period or not, so I have to come up with two propsals. One period, one what my "perfect" design would be. Period is easier to come up with than perfect it seems!
I have done plenty of work in this period, so I am fairly familiar with the time and fashions, but I am always looking for more resource material.

Bindii - Thanks for the link!

Eumenides : I have watched Looking for Richard, a few times. It is wonderful and gives a great insight into the process of breaking down and building up the language. The costumes are beautiful, but very "expected." Richard is always portrayed in black, and I like to make choices that are not common. Which is difficult to do and do well. And I appreciate your offer of more info, thank you kindly! I look forward to seeing what you've got for me.

Kotori - That is a great version of the film, and an interesting time period choice.

Hamlet - I am hoping that you have some words of wisdom to share with me.

Dawg - I was thinking of that version of Hamlet, I like what they did. Sometimes hinting at the period works wonderfully, especially in such a large cast.
(by the by, love the av! )

DCL, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this play. We've never really interacted, but I respect your ideas and posts.

Free my friend, I will definately let you know about my research. And I am glad to hear that you have developed a taste for women's elbows!

MMark - Thanks for your comments.

riff my man, if anyone can fihnd me good links, I know it'll be you, you master of the internet world!


Any reference materials on the play itself, or on the time period, would be very much appreciated. And anyone who has seen or worked on good performances, if you would share your experiences with me, wither here or in pm, I would also be forever grateful.

Thank you all!

 

[LordLucan74]

Born in 1452, brother of King Edward IV. They were the sons of Richard, Earl of Cambridge and Anne Mortimer. Both the Earl of Cambridge and Anne Mortimer were descended from King Edward III (d 1377).

Edward IV was the first King of the House of York that replaced the House of Lancaster after Henry VI was deposed. Edward IV's young sons, Edward V and Richard, Duke of York are said to have been murdered in the Tower of London, some say by the order of Richard III.

It really is a fascinating story.

 

[LordLucan74]

Me! Damn thing logged me out.

You are absolutely correct on this!!!! King Richard III is often portrayed as a hunchback or being badly deformed somehow, but he really was not. He was, as I understand it, rather shorter than most men of his day.

 

[GreenEyedGirl]

You are absolutely correct on this!!!! King Richard III is often portrayed as a hunchback or being badly deformed somehow, but he really was not. He was, as I understand it, rather shorter than most men of his day.

Richard was a bit short, and actually was considered rather handsome. But Shakespeare likes to take liberties with his characters and chose to make Richard a deformed hunchback to better exemplify his inner evil. One thing that I adore about Shakespeare is that he makes no bones about who the bad guy is. You know immediately by looking at them and by listening to them. They usually say "Look, I am a pretty awful person, and this is what I am going to do........."
That way the groundlings know who to hiss at and those seated on cushions can enjoy the intricate dealings that follow.

When film makers deviate from the truth of stories based on real people (i.e. A Beautiful Mind) modern folk get upset, but in the Elizabethan era, to mess around with historical characters was the norm. Which makes for some interesting history test answers I am sure!

 

[BigDawg69]

Ok so being a TD I have a step back a look for the big picture on the production, as I think that may drive some choices. When I did the scenic design for Hamlet in college and then ended up taking on the lighting design as well (the orginal designer couldn't remain sober long enough to finish his plot and the last thing I needed was my set to look shitty under his stupid lighting!). We went for a very dark and minimalistic feel. The stage floor was built up on a rake with very large rough wood planks almost like a pier. The whole floor was built in perspective to a narrow upstage with exit ramp center left and right. Under work lights it actually looked as if you were laying on the ground looking up at a giant cross. I then filled the low areas around the set with low smoke and danced lighting patterns and color through the fog with each scene. I hazed the space slightly and filled the tall proscenium with layered shafts of light that played to patterns for the performers on the ground.

The costume designer worked well with this, she chose more subtle tones and plain flat clothes that would pick up the light. I don't know the fabric she used but for Ophelia's empire waisted dress the color of her long skirt actually shifted with the light. It made for some tricking programming on my part but the "Get thee to a nunnery" scene was very powerful.

Oh and thank you for the compliment.

 

[LordLucan74]

Richard was a bit short, and actually was considered rather handsome. But Shakespeare likes to take liberties with his characters and chose to make Richard a deformed hunchback to better exemplify his inner evil. One thing that I adore about Shakespeare is that he makes no bones about who the bad guy is. You know immediately by looking at them and by listening to them. They usually say "Look, I am a pretty awful person, and this is what I am going to do........."
That way the groundlings know who to hiss at and those seated on cushions can enjoy the intricate dealings that follow.

When film makers deviate from the truth of stories based on real people (i.e. A Beautiful Mind) modern folk get upset, but in the Elizabethan era, to mess around with historical characters was the norm. Which makes for some interesting history test answers I am sure!

I know indeed!!! I think there are perhaps two, maybe three, extant contemporary images of King Richard III and he was not bad looking it would seem. You are right, that making one look ghastly was one of the obvious means of conveying the idea of "bad guy." And it does make for good exam questions...I know from experience LOL.

 

[GreenEyedGirl]

Dawg: Thanks! I like what you described for Hamlet's stage. The visual of Hamlet pacing on top of a cross while saying "A little more than kin and less than kind" is a wonderful image!
I think that the TD is going for a very dark, cloistered mouse cage kind of feel for the play. I have a meeting to see the scenics in a couple of weeks. Which will help me get a good grip on where I want to go costume and fabric wise.


I found some good dramaturgical books on Shakespeare. I love the bargain bins at the big bookstore chains! Often find treasures there for 3.99.
I've often thought, though, that there should be more production books on Shakespeare's plays. I have a well worn copy of one from the Royal Shakespeare Company that chronicaled their plays from 1960 or so on up to 2000. It has been invaluable to me on gathering ideas both to use, and not to use.

I have to say, I am seeing Richard in red, or burgundy or wine maybe. He is one smooth operator, and I think black is too overdone and too macabre. I want the audience to look at him and say, Eeew! That's just wrong!