Is Shakespeare loquacious? Reading the last pages of Richard III one might think so. King Richard speaks his way into oblivion.
He seems to be made of words—his actions secondary, the description being all. This, after all, is a character who succeeds in wooing a widow over the coffin of a close relative, and after the deed, tells us about it as if we didn’t get it the first time. His comeuppance arrives eventually, and true to form, he is ready with a virtuoso description of the situation. He is always and everywhere a soliloquist. Richard’s words are a virtuosity. Hamlet’s words are long-considered, pondered. Richard finds his demise at least as theatrical as his life, and when the end comes, Marlovian rant rules. Needless to say, this requires spectacular acting.
Hamish Linklater, who will take this role at Shakespeare and Company in a staged reading on Saturday, October 10, 2:00 pm in a benefit performance, is joined by Lily Rabe, a Tony Award nominee. The pair was recently praised by The New York Times as “two of the most captivating and spirited Shakespeare actors of their generation.” Hamish made one his earliest stage appearances at Shakespeare and Company, and he is the son of Kristin Linklater, voice coach extraordinaire. They will be joined by Tina Packer and Annette Miller. This promises to be a stellar matinee. Be there, and help one of our county’s true assets.
For more information and to order tickets, click here.
