Richard, My Richard, the playwriting debut of historical author Philippa Gregory, will première at Shakespeare North Playhouse 8–30 March before transferring to Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds 11–27 April 2024.
With an explosion of tarmac, a Leicester Car park erupts and Richard III crashes from his lost tomb to meet the character who has ruined his reputation: History—the record keeper who doesn’t always have his mind on the task.
The play will be directed by Katie Posner with a cast comprising Kyle Rowe (The Devil’s Hour - Amazon Prime, Sexy Beast - Paramount+) as Richard, Tom Kanji (Julius Caesar - Royal Shakespeare Theatre / UK Tour, Private Peaceful - UK tour) as History, Tyler Dobbs (A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Shakespeare North Playhouse,Tom’s Midnight Garden - Theatre By The Lake) as George / Buckingham, Jennifer Matter (Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot - Picture Perfect, Villain - Greenville Media) as Queen, Tori Burgess (Tony! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] - UK tour, Pride & Prejudice* (*Sort Of) - Tron Theatre, West End & UK tour) as Anne, Laura Smithers (First Encounters: Twelfth Night - RSC’s The Other Place & UK tour, Clarion - Arcola Theatre) as Margaret, Matt Concannon (Lazarus Project- SKY, The Girl on the Train - UK tour) as Edward / Thomas Stanley and Mary Savage (Who the F—k is Shakespeare - 20 Stories High) as Elizabeth.
Posner said, “this is a play about a well-known Plantagenet king, but it’s also about the youngest son, propelled to be the next in line, when that was not his destiny. Central to his story are the extraordinary women who surround him, ambitious, driven, cleverly and brilliantly guiding the narrative. Throughout Richard, My Richard, Philippa presents a conscious counterpoint to Shakespeare's Tudor propaganda narrative and opens up the story with the biggest question of all: what happens when History has made its decision and the written accounts are closed.”