This review was published in the Long Beach Post on Jan. 30, 2025
Power and leadership are strange bedfellows — you can be a good leader without being a glutton for power, and, as we’ve seen throughout history, you can become powerful without necessarily being a good leader.
That dichotomy is dynamically explored in Long Beach Shakespeare Company’s current production of William Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” continuing through Feb. 8.
Led by an exceptional DeRod Taylor as the title character and spiritedly directed by Richard J. Martinez, the cast and crew of “Richard III” make Shakespeare’s historical tragedy come alive, even on the intimate stage of the Helen Borgers Theatre.
Richard (Taylor) is jealous of his brother Edward (Michael Hovance) ascending to England’s throne after a battle with the previous king. In his fiery opening monologue, Richard says he will become a villain since he can’t be a lover like Edward because of his “deformity” — a right arm that doesn’t work.
Taylor’s delivery here and throughout is strong and confident yet richly nuanced, allowing Richard to win over the audience with a villainous charm, perhaps because he openly declares what we might secretly feel sometimes. We become drawn in and complicit in Richard’s plotting, eager to see if his intricate plans to seize the throne materialize, beginning with the demise of his other brother Clarence (Sallie Eskins), who never doubts Richard’s love for him.
As Richard’s manipulative orchestrations continue with hired assassins and help from covert partner-in-crime Buckingham (an effective Ben Trotter), the body count of relatives gets disconcertingly high, including women and children.
Martinez’s direction keeps things moving at a decent clip through the many episodes of the first act and has actors deliver lines with gusto and also gestures that emphasize meaning — such as looking into an actual mirror when self-reflecting — all of which help with Shakespeare’s sometimes dense, often rhyming language.
The second act becomes more compelling after Richard has achieved his goal, having coyly and amusingly feigned reluctance before his inevitable crowning. But we now see Richard falter a bit as king, and so desperate to maintain power that he doubts even the loyal Buckingham.
We also hear the women of his family lament the loss of their children in a powerful scene involving Richard’s mother (Randi Tahara), who has now lost two sons; Edward’s widow (Ali Kimmel), who also has lost two sons; and Margaret, widow of the previous king and a “prophetess” who is good at cursing people.
The three women’s intensely shared grief and anger are palpable thanks to these actors’ passionate deliveries, casting a grim shadow over Richard’s deeds. If he was still sort of your evil hero to this point, you might not feel the same after this scene.
And when Richard, on the eve of battle — after a night of dream visitations by all those he’s murdered — seems to neglect donning his armor in time, or even securing a ride (“my kingdom for a horse!”), well, you do feel like he deserves what comes in an exciting and emotionally satisfying conclusion.
The play boasts an impressive cast of 16 actors, many of whom play multiple roles, often after their previous character dies. Depending on acting experience, though, deliveries can range from flat to shrill, with some needing enunciation and some fumbling lines. But collectively they get the job done and all seem engaged in spirit.
Taylor ultimately carries this production, with Trotter as Buckingham holding his own along with Eskins as both Clarence and the assassin Tyrrell. Shoutouts also to Tahara for subtlety, Kimmel for emotional intensity and Alan Bornemann for soft stage presence, subtle reactions and sporting a British accent.
Costumes (Terry Hill) are also lovely with varying fabrics, colors and patterns, and lighting (Connie Lynne) and sound (Scott Kanzelmeyer) assist well in changing the tone with each scene. Fight choreography — including swords and fatal stabbings — by Dylan J. Sampson is also commendable, adding suspense to the ending.
History can be enjoyable in the form of a well-structured play like “Richard III,” even if the playwright may not have been entirely accurate about the man. And Long Beach Shakespeare Company’s lively and engaging staging definitely does it justice, making this production a must-see.
“Richard III” continues through Feb. 8 at the Helen Borgers Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Ave., with shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. For tickets and information, call (562) 997-1494 or visit LBShakespeare.org. Run time is 2 hours and 55 minutes, including intermission.
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