'A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!'

— Act V, Scene 4

Part of the 2012 Globe to Globe Festival.

This momentous occasion marked the National Theatre of China's first visit to the UK. The company, which stages work in three different performance spaces in Beijing, works with the finest playwrights and directors in China. The National’s Associate Director, Wang Xiaoying, directs this production of Shakespeare's horror-show of power and paranoia.

Synopsis

Richard lies, murders and cheats his way to the throne of England as he systematically slaughters his enemies, allies and family. As the Wars of the Roses rage on around him, his mind and his power start to disintegrate, until his final deadly encounter with the Duke of Richmond at the Battle of Bosworth.

Running time: 134 mins

Cast

King Henry VI:

Graham Butler

Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester:

Garry Cooper

Queen Margaret:

Mary Doherty

Duke of Suffolk/Jack Cade:

Roger Evans

Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester:

Mike Grady

Richard/Charles the Dauphin:

Simon Harrison

Young Clifford/Duke of Somerset:

David Hartley

Duke of Bedford/Duke of Burgundy/Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March/Dick the Butcher:

Nigel Hastings

John Talbot/Edmund, Earl of Rutland:

Joe Jameson

Edward, Earl of March/King Edward IV:

Patrick Myles

Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York/Lewis XI, King of France:

Brendan O'Hea

Reignier, Duke of Anjou/George, Duke of Clarence:

Gareth Pierce

Joan of Arc/Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester/Lady Grey:

Beatriz Romilly

Earl of Warwick/Lord Talbot:

Andrew Sheridan

Creatives

Composer:

Alex Baranowski

Designer:

Ti Green

Director:

Nick Bagnall

Directed for the screen:

Ian Russell