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All 7 posts on

Richard II

The Lead-Up to Shakespeare’s Richard II
Shakespeare and Beyond

The Lead-Up to Shakespeare’s Richard II

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Author
Shakespeare & Beyond

In an excerpt from The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV, historian Helen Castor travels back in time to the weeks just before Shakespeare’s play begins.

The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV, with Helen Castor
Shakespeare Unlimited

The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV, with Helen Castor

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What happens when a king loses his people’s trust? Historian Helen Castor delves into the 14th century drama behind Richard II’s fall and Henry IV’s rise, the events that inspired Shakespeare’s celebrated history plays.

Richard II on the Radio
Shakespeare Unlimited

Richard II on the Radio

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Joining forces with public radio’s WNYC during the pandemic, the Public Theater did something that hadn’t been done before: a four-night serialized Richard II with expert analysis and stories from cast members. We go behind the scenes to learn how they did it.

Shakespeare in prison: How Richard II and Macbeth speak to those in solitary confinement
Shakespeare and Beyond

Shakespeare in prison: How Richard II and Macbeth speak to those in solitary confinement

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Author
Esther French

Blood hath been shed ere now, i’ th’ olden time, Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal; Ay, and since too, murders have been performed Too terrible for the ear. (Macbeth, 3.4.91) What would a roomful of convicted killers see…

King and Country: Shakespeare treasures from the Folger
Charles Kean Promptbook
Shakespeare and Beyond

King and Country: Shakespeare treasures from the Folger

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Author
Esther French

A special exhibition of rare quartos, promptbooks, and other treasures from the Folger collection accompanies the Royal Shakespeare Company staging of King and Country: Shakespeare’s Great Cycle of Kings at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York this month. Director Gregory…

What do Richard II and Bonnie Raitt have in common?
Folger Spotlight

What do Richard II and Bonnie Raitt have in common?

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Author
Katharine Pitt

On December 2nd, the Folger hosted the first U.S. screening of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Richard II starring David Tennant. Most fans in America know David Tennant from the BBC television series Dr. Who, but he has been…

Meeting the Henry V Cast: Zach Appelman
Folger Spotlight

Meeting the Henry V Cast: Zach Appelman

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Pomme Koch places the crown atop the head of Zach Appelman. Photo by Teresa Wood. Continuing in our series of Henry V cast interviews, today we bring you Zach Appelman, who plays the young King Henry. Not only does this mark Zach’s…