"Fortress built against infection" my bum. (Source)
Who's pulling the strings in Richard II then? Who's in charge? I used to think it was just, I don't know, "History", and maybe that's a grown-up narrative, but more likely it's just more mythologising. Maybe this is why it's such a relief when Northumberland turns up. Finally here's a character who not only wants something but actually seems to be doing something about it - it's called a "plot" for a reason - but even he turns out to be just a messenger. Bolingboke's already landed. So what are we watching? It's not unlike the News. Not the current News I mean, just News in general. No criticism of Richard's abuses of power goes without an even deeper criticism that he's Bad For The Brand. Really it's all about "judging the mood", and only looks like Democracy because it can take down anyone. Typically though, Richard's ability to push so many buttons seems to be the quality Shakespeare finds most attractive. Here's Act Two then, and if Gaunt's death bed scene feels a little like Dennis' Dad's death bed scene from Jabberwocky, well I can only say "you're welcome."
Although it doesn't hold up to much historical scrutiny, I'm fond of the theory that Richard II is actually about a bad break-up, as charmingly posited by this video.
ReplyDeleteI mean, all motivations are welcome. Deborah Warner's prodiction with Fiona Shaw definitely made Richard and Bolingbroke a couple. Bolingbroke was also a salivating boggle-eyed loon though, with a limp. The first scene of Act Three, which I'm still uploading, suggests he's pretty ruthlessly heteronormative, but maybe he was rebranding.
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