RICHARD III
RICHARD III
Shakespeare’s masterfully complex and psychologically rich portrayal of Richard III shaped the archetype of a ruler driven by ruthless ambition, insatiable desire, and a cold-blooded willingness to sacrifice everything – family, allies, and nation – for personal gain. His inflated sense of self-importance and total lack of empathy grant him the freedom to take anything, from anyone, at any time. Richard’s charisma is no accident – it is a calculated mask, rewarded by a world that equates appearance with power. Richard III is not merely a cautionary tale from the past, but a glaring symptom of the present. Slovenian director Jan Krmelj reimagines Shakespeare’s play in a dystopian world of digital surveillance and autocratic power. The royal court becomes a communications apparatus; the stage, a platform where Richard performs his rise under public scrutiny – through cameras, livestreams, and information control. His world is a decaying digital wasteland in the aftermath of ecological collapse – a world without values, ethics, or future. And his iconic cry, “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” will expose the ultimate unravelling: the moment when the illusion of power collapses into the raw desperation for survival.
Fran Žižek Hall
We invite you to see
