Review: ‘Richard III’ at A Noise Within
- Anita W. Harris
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
A Noise Within theatre company has a knack for making old plays seem new. William Shakespeare’s historical tragedy “Richard III” is no exception, not least due to casting Ann Noble in the title role. Her performance as the ruthlessly manipulative would-be king is riveting, heightening our emotional investment in this gruesome tale of royalty behaving badly.
Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos with a minimal set and bare scaffolding (designed by Angela Balogh Calin), the play opens with an added-on recap of Shakespeare’s history plays (including the “Henriad” series) prior to “Richard III,” depicting in brief the violent succession of English kings up to the moment Richard sets his sights on the throne, providing context for what comes next.
The staging of this opening is dynamic as ensemble cast members take turns becoming members of royalty vying for kingship, stabbing those who stand in their way, with each cold murder underscored by lighting (Ken Booth) and sound (Chris Moscatiello) effects, including cast members banging chairs on the stage, with names and words like “murder” projected so we can follow the history.
A couple of sheets of white and red paper allude to the War of the Roses, a civil war caused by a generations-old split in the royal family, which will become relevant later as that rift is healed, in a sense, by the end of the play.
In the wake of that choreographed violence, Richard III is left alone on an empty stage, embodied by Noble’s wiry frame and cropped red hair, wearing a suit (designed by Christine Cover Ferro, the play having been re-set to the 1970s) and smoking a cigarette while keeping his deformed hand hidden.
From her first word to her final sneer, Noble is miraculous as Richard — making palpable his sociopathic drive to seize the throne through a trail of murders, including his own brother the Duke of Clarence (Randolph Thompson) and two young nephews (Brendan Burgos and a composed Micah Lanfer) after he imprisons them in the Tower of London.
With a sly wink to the audience, Richard also manipulatively woos Lady Anne (Erika Soto), whose husband Edward of Westminster and father-in-law King Henry VI he has also killed, convincing her to marry him rather brilliantly despite her revulsion at his deeds and with her husband’s corpse still in view.
To help him orchestrate his rise, Richard also manipulates Lord Hastings (Samuel Garnett), Lord Stanley (Tony Pasqualini) and especially the Duke of Buckingham (Lynn Robert Berg), promising them a share in power once he attains the throne.
Meanwhile, Queen Margaret (Trisha Miller), mother of the slain Edward of Westminster, lurks around wanting to take revenge for the loss of her husband and son, while Queen Elizabeth (Lesley Fera), whose young sons Richard kills in the Tower, and Richard’s mother the Duchess of York (Veralyn Jones) form an alliance speaking out against him.
Miller, Fera and Jones all excel in their strong female roles, balancing Richard’s single-minded pursuit of power at any cost with powerful anger, righteous indignation and, in Margaret’s case, straight-up vengefulness with an extremely loud gun.
They are not the only ones who oppose Richard — a rebel army led by the Earl of Richmond (Wes Guimarães) soon amasses that Richard must confront. Only he is plagued by dreams the night before battle of all those he has murdered, their faces projected onto a screen above him (designed by Nick Santiago), while Richmond dreams of their support.
The combat (fighting choreographed by Jonathan Rider) is physical and intensely staged, bringing to a head the thread of violence that permeates the production, a shower of red and white papers reflecting this final battle of the War of the Roses in a visual flourish.
Solid acting and robust staging that also uses the vertical dimension to good effect make this “Richard III” exhilarating theatre. But it’s Noble’s immersed performance that makes it truly must-see, bringing home her character’s unrelenting drive and utter lack of conscience — perhaps a cautionary tale for our current times.
“Richard III” continues through March 8 at A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, with performances Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets and information, call (626) 356-3100 or visit anoisewithin.org. Run time is 2 hour and 45 minutes, including intermission.