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This new edition of Shakespeare´s tragic history, developed by and for the RSC, includes new interviews with acclaimed directors Michael Boyd and Claus Peymann and the director/actress Fiona Shaw, looks at specific productions in the play´s history, and features a completely new introduction by acclaimed scholar Jonathan Bate.

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From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare´s tragic history of a ruler losing his grip on power. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Richard II in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an acclaimed actress/director - Michael Boyd, Claus Peymann and Fiona Shaw - providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare´s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended - as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed.

Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare´s works for the twenty-first century.

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Introduction.- About the Text .- Key Facts .- The Life and Death of King Richard the Second .- Textual Notes .- Oaths from the Quarto.- Scene-by-scene Analysis .- Richard II in Performance: The RSC and Beyond .- Four Centuries of Richard II : An Overview .- At the RSC .- The Director´s Cut: Interviews with Michael Boyd and Claus Peymann .- Playing Richard: An Interview with Fiona Shaw.- Shakespeare´s Career in the Theatre .- Shakespeare´s Works: a Chronology .- Kings and Queens of England: From the History Plays to Shakespeare´s Lifetime .- The History Behind the Histories: A Chronology.- Further Reading and Viewing .- References .- Acknowledgements and Picture Credits

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