The story of Richard III is all too familiar - a despot corrupted by power, megalomania and paranoia. Fred Abrahmse directs this sparse production in a way that makes the parallels clear.
Marcel Meyer plays Richard (and Lady Anne and Queen Margaret), but he is a little too beautiful to have truly pulled off the withered arm, hunchback and deformities of Richard III and I think that he didn't quite manage to be villainous enough, but he was nevertheless powerful and manipulative. As Queen Margaret, he was convincing in gait but not in accent - the French accent sounded more like a Malmesbury bray!
David Dennis played seven characters, most of them women, and he must be commended for this. However, I found the women rather puppet-like - not just because of the masks.
Anelisa Phelwa also played seven parts and he is clearly a versatile actor.
I must confess, though, that I dropped off during the first 80 minutes and in the last 45 minutes after interval I could barely keep awake. Every time I came to, there was yet another head being taken out of a plastic bag (not very Elizabethan!) and put into the cupboard. My naps were partly due to it being very close and hot in the theatre, but maybe also because there was not enough change of pace in the action.
I am not sure that the inventiveness of using only three actors served the production all that well; it did give a sameness to the production despite the inventiveness of masks and puppets and costume.
Richard lll runs at the Artscape Arena Theatre from 1 to 19 February 2011 with tickets costing R100 per person and R50 for learners, students and pensioners via 0214217695 or Computicket outlets. www.artscape.co.za
