CAST's "Richard III": An Impressive Achievement of Shakespeare's Work

“The king’s name is a tower of strength.” - Richard III, William Shakespeare.

Cape Ann Shakespeare Troupe (CAST) presents William Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” a play about the ruthless Richard, Duke of Gloucester, as he schemes, betrays, and murders his way to the English throne. His atrocious rise to power leads to his downfall at the Battle of Bosworth Field.

I was hooked from the moment the show began. CAST’s production of “Richard III” is a tremendous, well-acted, and thoroughly explored play of Shakespeare’s work. The preparation and commitment that went into this production astonished audiences. “Richard III” warns about how power influences us in negative ways.

Ted Silva is a gifted Shakespeare performer. He embellishes a mesmerizing interpretation of Richard III, exerting incredible energy, solid diction of soliloquies, and attention to the character’s physical movements. He channels every subtle detail about this character, presenting an unforgettable performance.

Richard is an intriguing character. Complex is too small of a word to describe him. He does awful things, but fights with his conscience. Having power is his demand, but will it nourish his satisfaction?

“Richard III” has several key characters. Acting is so intense from everyone as they completely disappear into this world, portraying nuances and vulnerability effectively. Their poetic and fiery dictation of the Shakespearean language is an impressive achievement.

From Michael Barry's animated performances as Buckingham, Richard’s faithful right-hand man, to Kristin Alexander’s emotionally compelling portrayal as Anne, a grief-stricken widow, they take characters off the page and turn them into something more.

Rachel Miller brings strength to Queen Elizabeth. The scenes between Elizabeth and Richard are tense as she navigates his manipulation with a mix of resistance and reluctance.

Ariana Gaelan Ortmann enters the stage with fierce intensity as Margaret, a vengeful prophetess, who spats curses at Richard. Ortmann delivers monologues with a commanding and unforgettable presence.

As I have said, no small part exists in the theater. Clarence (Billy Lewand) leaves a strong impression, as do Amanda O’Donnell (Hastings) and Emily Morcos (Catesby). I enjoyed Kevin Lee and Joseph Grebla’s scenes, who became the comedic levity. Young stars Charlee Efinger (Prince Edward) and Nora Lee (York) are excellent, especially in the show’s dark layers.

Jess Emerson’s direction is beyond remarkable. She has always had a fascination for this Shakespeare play, studying every layer of Richard’s character. Her scene interpretations bring out more than you expect. From what is presented onstage doesn’t even look like a challenge based on Emerson’s astute ideas and collaboration with the cast.

Do you ever feel like you’re going to walk right into a play’s world? That’s how believable this show is. It doesn’t feel like there’s a fourth wall. The show’s technical elements transport audiences into this world through striking lighting, sets, and historical costumes. Gloucester Stage resulted in an excellent theater space for CAST’s production.

From the opening soliloquy to the final confrontation, the production embraces the philosophical depth, political intrigue, and dark humor embedded in the text. Audiences were stone quiet as they watched the play, and laughing at funny parts.

I have become more of a Shakespeare fan over time, thanks to theater. The Shakespearean language is tough to navigate, but digging through the layers of the language is rewarding. It’s because of visual representations like these that help audiences better understand this complex world.

You can’t say you’re not a Shakespeare fan until you actually witness it. CAST’s “Richard III” is a thrilling experience. Take caution, there are dark themes regarding death, war, and suicide. Enjoy an evening of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” at Gloucester Stage playing until Sunday, April 19.