February 26, 2013
Exact Dates and Times for London Performances
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Original Music for the Production
Emmy Winner Paul Englishby is composing the music for the show.
He composed the music for the RSC productions of Hamlet and Loves Labours Lost which also starred David, as well as the music of the BBC TV version of Hamlet with the RSC cast.
He composed the music for the RSC productions of Hamlet and Loves Labours Lost which also starred David, as well as the music of the BBC TV version of Hamlet with the RSC cast.
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| Photograph by Ellie Kurttz - Paul pictured at the piano with Patrick Stewart and other Hamlet cast members |
John of Gaunt Cast
Michael Pennington will play John of Gaunt in Gregory Doran's Richard II.
Michael Pennington joins David Tennant in the title role and Oliver Ford Davies as Duke of York.
Michael Pennington last appeared on the RSC stage in 2004 as the narrator in Venus and Adonis. In 1999 he played Timon in Timon of Athens.
Michael Pennington joins David Tennant in the title role and Oliver Ford Davies as Duke of York.
Michael Pennington last appeared on the RSC stage in 2004 as the narrator in Venus and Adonis. In 1999 he played Timon in Timon of Athens.
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| You might recognise him from his Star Wars appearance in Return of the Jedi! |
David on Doran's take on Richard II
David Tennant comments on Richard II director's comment on Richard II's character v/s David's character"
He’s excited by the play, though taken aback by comments made by director Gregory Doran suggesting the role’s volatility and fragility might be ‘alien to David’s character’. ‘I wouldn’t have thought that’s true at all,’ he muses, his voice rising an octave. ‘But that’s obviously how he perceives me. Either that or he was trying to come up with a soundbite. In “Hamlet” I spent a lot of time terrified to my bones, but maybe I’m quite good at hiding it.’" - Time Out -
He’s excited by the play, though taken aback by comments made by director Gregory Doran suggesting the role’s volatility and fragility might be ‘alien to David’s character’. ‘I wouldn’t have thought that’s true at all,’ he muses, his voice rising an octave. ‘But that’s obviously how he perceives me. Either that or he was trying to come up with a soundbite. In “Hamlet” I spent a lot of time terrified to my bones, but maybe I’m quite good at hiding it.’" - Time Out -
February 23, 2013
David Tennant Talks theatre and Richard II in The Times
" "He's an incredible character who's a total t*** in some ways, but you end up feeling very sympathetic towards him," he explains.
Theatre, he says, is his "proper job" and filming is a sabbatical — but he finds theatre terrifying, "to the point where, every time I do a play, I say to myself, at the five minute call when there's no going back: 'Never do this again. This is stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! It would be better to work in a shop. This is horrible!'
"I think every actor that goes on stage is a lot closer to never being able to do it again than you might imagine," he concludes. His stage fright tends to wear off after the first few performances, "but you still have some nights when your brain is telling you you're about to forget the next bit".
He relaxes before going on stage by playing music and, somewhat less appealingly, by farting. "It's a breathing thing," he explains. "If you do lots of breathing exercises, you're pushing down with your diaphragm. It does feel like a release, I find, a good old fart before you do anything." "
The Time - Lydia Slater - February 23, 2013
Theatre, he says, is his "proper job" and filming is a sabbatical — but he finds theatre terrifying, "to the point where, every time I do a play, I say to myself, at the five minute call when there's no going back: 'Never do this again. This is stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! It would be better to work in a shop. This is horrible!'
"I think every actor that goes on stage is a lot closer to never being able to do it again than you might imagine," he concludes. His stage fright tends to wear off after the first few performances, "but you still have some nights when your brain is telling you you're about to forget the next bit".
He relaxes before going on stage by playing music and, somewhat less appealingly, by farting. "It's a breathing thing," he explains. "If you do lots of breathing exercises, you're pushing down with your diaphragm. It does feel like a release, I find, a good old fart before you do anything." "
The Time - Lydia Slater - February 23, 2013
February 19, 2013
Exciting Piece of Casting-The Barbican and the Bard
The Barbican and the Bard are an ideal match... again
"The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced that David Tennant will be playing Richard II later in the year. It's an exciting piece of casting, but I'm equally intrigued by the venue for the production, when it comes to London. It will be the Barbican. The Barbican was, of course, the RSC 's London home until the company decided, controversially, to leave it in the Nineties. Since then the Barbican management has commented from time to time on how they had no interest in having the RSC back. Have some quiet negotiations been going on behind the scenes?
Certainly, the various London venues that the RSC has used since have failed to give it an identity, and have simply confused the public. I suspect that the RSC has been making peace overtures with the Barbican. I also suspect that Richard II will be the first of many RSC productions there, as the company begins to realise it wasn't such a bad home after all." - The Independent - David Lister - February 9, 2013
"The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced that David Tennant will be playing Richard II later in the year. It's an exciting piece of casting, but I'm equally intrigued by the venue for the production, when it comes to London. It will be the Barbican. The Barbican was, of course, the RSC 's London home until the company decided, controversially, to leave it in the Nineties. Since then the Barbican management has commented from time to time on how they had no interest in having the RSC back. Have some quiet negotiations been going on behind the scenes?
Certainly, the various London venues that the RSC has used since have failed to give it an identity, and have simply confused the public. I suspect that the RSC has been making peace overtures with the Barbican. I also suspect that Richard II will be the first of many RSC productions there, as the company begins to realise it wasn't such a bad home after all." - The Independent - David Lister - February 9, 2013
February 17, 2013
That Old Chestnut
Once again the press is using David's celebrity to highlight the problems with 'stars' being cast in the theatre.
At least Lyn Gardner in her article for the Guardian acknowledges David's considerable talents and his theatre chops unlike Sir Jonathan Miller.
"When it was announced that David Tennant would be playing Richard II for the RSC both in Stratford and at the Barbican over Christmas, there were rumours of a rush for membership from those eager to get priority booking. If Tennant read the telephone directory aloud it would probably sell out, but the actor and Richard II seem made for each other – a nifty piece of casting in which the interests of star, box office and artistry collide."
Click here to read the full article.
At least Lyn Gardner in her article for the Guardian acknowledges David's considerable talents and his theatre chops unlike Sir Jonathan Miller.
"When it was announced that David Tennant would be playing Richard II for the RSC both in Stratford and at the Barbican over Christmas, there were rumours of a rush for membership from those eager to get priority booking. If Tennant read the telephone directory aloud it would probably sell out, but the actor and Richard II seem made for each other – a nifty piece of casting in which the interests of star, box office and artistry collide."
Click here to read the full article.
February 7, 2013
Photographer Jillian Edelstein
Photographer Jillian Edelstein is an amazing portrait photographer and shot the official RSC portrait of David for Richard II. She even posted the photo on her blog with the caption "David is King".
February 5, 2013
Buy the Book RSC new Edition of Richard II
From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a fresh new edition of Shakespeare's tragic history of a ruler losing his grip on power. This unique edition presents a historical overview of Richard II
in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at
specific productions and includes interviews with two leading directors
and an acclaimed actress/director – Michael Boyd, Claus Peymann and
Fiona Shaw – so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of
interpretations that are possible, a variety that gives Shakespeare his
unique capacity to be reinvented and made 'our contemporary' four
centuries after his death.
£6.99 Click Here
February 2, 2013
Workshops and Talks
David is not guaranteed to be present at any events but he did attend the talk back session for Loves Labours Lost.
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