Reimagining SHAKESPEARE’s rabidly ambitious king with a confrontational interpretation, THOMAS OSTERMEIER returns to BAM with RICHARD III. THE INFLUENTIAL GERMAN DIRECTOR and artistic head of BERLIN’S SCHAUBÜHNE THEATRE turns Shakespeare’s study of EVIL into a gritty, unflinching spectacle. THE FULL-THROTTLE ADAPTATION is set in A MUD-SPLATTERED ARENA, designed by JAN PAPPELBAUM, where GLITTER FALLS FROM THE SKY as a club-footed sociopath STALKS THE STAGE. Playwright MARIUS VON MAYENBURG converts SHAKESPEARE’S POETIC PENTAMETER TO FORTHRIGHT PROSE and LARS EIDINGER portrays the antihero as part ROCK STAR, PART GHOULISH COMEDIAN. The production isn’t restricted to the demonization of one man––it is also a portrait of A POWERFUL ELITE TORN APART BY INTERNAL STRIFE, out of whose midst A PERVERSE DICTATOR EMERGES. Ostermeier contends that Richard’s monstrosity is not exceptional, but rather REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR MOST BASIC HUMAN INSTINCTS. “The true horror of watching Richard III” says Ostermeier, “SHOULD BE THE RECOGNITION THAT WHAT WE SEE IS ACTUALLY A VISIT TO OUR VERY OWN INNERMOST ABYSS.”
Influential German director Thomas Ostermeier returns to BAM with Schaubühne Berlin’s production of Richard III, Oct 11––14
“Lars Eidinger stars as a mesmerising, rapping, swearing Richard; an outsider who seizes centre stage with relish, caressing his microphone like a rock star gone to seed.” –The Guardian
Bloomberg Philanthropies is the Season Sponsor
Richard III By William Shakespeare
Translation and adaptation by Marius von Mayenburg
Schaubühne Berlin Directed by Thomas Ostermeier
Set design by Jan Pappelbaum
Costume design by Florence von Gerkan in collaboration with Ralf Tristan Sczesny
Music by Nils Ostendorf Video by Sébastien Dupouey
Dramaturgy by Florian Borchmeyer
Lighting design by Erich Schneider
BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St.)
Oct 11—14 at 7:30pm Tickets start at $35 In German with English titles
Iconic Artist Talk: Thomas Ostermeier In conversation with Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Oct 12 at 6pm BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette Ave) $25 General Public; $12.50 for BAM Members
Visit BAM: https://www.bam.org/theater/2017/richard-iii
Photos: Arno Declair
Press: Christian Barclay/BAM
