Richard III

VESTED INTEREST Acton pleads his case.

Photo: Liz Lauren

Shakespeare wrote his study of the murderous Duke of Gloucester early in his career; though it’s not the finest of his history plays, Richard is studded with signs of the glories to come. The playwright innovates with all the audacity of his Richard (Acton), who woos Lady Anne over the corpse of her father-in-law, one of his numerous victims. Richard’s riddling, schizoid soliloquy on the eve of his death marks his transition from rabid stock villain to unfathomable personality, while the play’s grim view of politics anticipates Macbeth’s cutthroat machinations.

Two major issues hamper Chicago Shakespeare’s production of this rich, undisciplined text. The first is a welter of questionable design choices. The costumes, featuring odd quilted vests and leggings, place the characters somewhere between Star Trek and the Vail ski slopes. Henry VI appears to be interred in a garment bag. And the heavy-metal score, thunderous sound effects and occasional fog all threaten to turn this into Richard on Ice. Second, while Acton’s Richard is spirited throughout, his performance, despite its physical flair and sadistic glee, never quite settles into a full-fledged take on the hunchbacked king; it’s less a character than a clutch of mannerisms, edging into Black Adder territory.

But Gaines, as usual, has assembled a marvelous troupe of supporting actors; Harmon is riveting as hag-queen Margaret, whose venomous curses determine the plot. For all its flaws, the production conveys the thrill of the fledgling dramatist’s Byzantine scenario.

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