The sold-out Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and Picturehouse
Entertainment production of Richard II releases to South African audiences on
25 and 26 January 2014, for four screenings only at Cinema Nouveau sites and
select Ster-Kinekor cinemas.
Screenings will take place in Somerset Mall in Somerset West, Blue Route Mall in
Cape Town, Garden Route Mall in George and Bedford Centre in Johannesburg
after a number of live productions from renowned theatre companies proved to
be very successful with local viewers.
RSC artistic director Gregory Doran’s production of William Shakespeare’s
Richard II is the first broadcast from Live from Stratford-upon-Avon, a
programme which screens productions live from Shakespeare’s home town. To
date, Richard II has had over 80,000 admissions and generated over £1m
(about R174m) at the box office.
“We are thrilled to be bringing the work we make in Stratford-upon-Avon to the
widest possible audience. Through a new partnership with Picturehouse
Entertainment, that has a great track record in screening the arts live, we can
share the RSC’s contemporary interpretations of our house playwright across
the UK and around the world, direct from Shakespeare’s home town,’ said
Doran.
David Tennant, who plays King Richard II, is joined by Oliver Ford Davies as the
Duke of York; Michael Pennington as John of Gaunt; and Jane Lapotaire as the
Duchess of Gloucester.
The story features a king fated by God to lead his people, whose human vanity
threatens to divide and drag his people into a civil war that will last 100 years.
Stephen Brimson Lewis is responsible for the production design with lighting by
Tim Mitchell. The production’s music is composed by Paul English and the sound
design is done by Martin Slavin. The movement director is Mike Ashcroft and the
fight director is Terry King.
Further screenings of Shakespeare productions in July at Cinema Nouveau
include Henry IV Part I and Henry IV Part II, which features South African-born
Antony Sher playing the infamous knight Falstaff; as well as The Two Gentlemen
of Verona.
Visit www.cinemanouveau.co.za to book tickets and for more information.
