‘RICHARD II’: (left to right) Emily Swallow, David Mattar Merten, Grantham Coleman, Michael Urie & Lux Pascal. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

RICHARD II
By William Shakespeare
Directed & adapted by Craig Baldwin
Through December 21, 2025
Red Bull Theater
at Astor Place Theatre
434 Lafayette St.
https://www.redbulltheater.com

By Scott Harrah

Shakespeare’s classics are often revived in some newfangled form on the American stage. For instance, from the late Glenda Jackson playing the titular role in a misguided, gender-bending King Lear in 2019 to an equally ill-conceived one-man Macbeth starring Alan Cumming on Broadway in 2013, the Bard’s works are frequently updated to attract new audiences. However, director Craig Baldwin’s Off-Broadway iteration of Richard II introduces two refreshing twists: the setting shifts from the 1300s to 1980s Britain, and King Richard becomes a flamboyant gay man, portrayed by the always-outstanding Michael Urie.

This reviewer is rarely a fan of “modernized” Shakespeare because classics work best when performed as written. Otherwise, the richness of Shakespeare’s language and narrative can get lost amid flashy gimmickry. Even so, two modernized adaptations have succeeded in the past 15 years: the 2010 Broadway revival of The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino as Shylock, and now Mr. Baldwin’s Richard II. While Mr. Pacino brought dignity to Shylock, Mr. Urie brings his trademark comic timing and sharp wit to Shakespeare’s egotistical, self-destructive monarch.

Richard the Rebel

This is a stylish reimagining of Richard II, with an ‘80s-inspired set by Arnulfo Maldonado. Mr. Urie plays the doomed monarch whose inflated ego leads to his downfall. When Richard seizes the inheritance of his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke (Grantham Coleman), he ignites a chain of betrayal and rebellion that forces him to confront his own loss of power and identity.

1980s decadence & excess

Mr. Maldonado’s design reimagines the royal court as a sleek 1980s Manhattan boardroom, complete with sharp suits, minimalist décor, and an interviewer (Sarin Monae West) who channels Grace Jones. Meanwhile, snippets of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” and other new-wave hits reinforce the era’s excess and vanity. The result is a clever concept that turns Richard’s deposition into a corporate coup rather than a medieval revolt. Admittedly, some choices—like the bathhouse scene or Richard’s affair with Aumerle (David Mattar Merten)—veer toward camp, yet they fit this production’s aesthetic.

Cast standouts

Not everything works here, but there’s plenty of fine acting onstage. Ron Canada, in multiple roles (especially as John of Gaunt), delivers one of the evening’s strongest performances, with precise phrasing and a masterful command of Shakespeare’s dialogue.

Grantham Coleman, as Richard’s rival and cousin Henry Bolingbroke, brings understated determination that contrasts beautifully with Richard’s theatrical volatility.

Michael Urie has a blast portraying Richard as an entertaining narcissist. Yet beneath the humor, he reveals the character’s tragic vulnerability, proving how effortlessly he can balance comedy with gravitas. His performance is campy enough to amuse, but grounded enough to make the downfall sting.

Accessible & entertaining

Purists may not embrace this Richard II, yet Mr. Baldwin has created a visually dynamic, thematically relevant version that speaks to modern politics and power struggles. Ultimately, his production makes Shakespeare’s complex history play accessible, entertaining, and unexpectedly poignant—a triumph of bold direction and fearless performance.

Published November 10, 2025
Reviewed at press performance on November 8, 2025

‘RICHARD II’: (left to right) Ron Canada, Grantham Cole & Michael Urie. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: (left to right) Kathryn Meisle, Ron Canada, Michael Uriie & Lux Pascal. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Sarin Monae West, James Seol & Daniel Stewart Sherman. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Sarin Monae West, Lux Pascal, Michael Urie, David Mattar Merten, Ryan Spahn & James Seol. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Michael Urie & David Mattar Merten. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Michael Urie. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Grantham Coleman & Michael Urie. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

The post ‘Richard II’: Michael Urie as Bard’s quirky king appeared first on StageZine.

‘MACBETH’: Daniel Craig, Ruth Negga & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

MACBETH
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Sam Gold
Through July 10, 2022
Longacre Theatre
220 West 48th Street
New York, NY
(212-239-6200), www.MacbethBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Director Sam Gold contemporized, bastardized and overblew the 2019 revival of Shakespeare’s King Lear with Glenda Jackson. He is now minimalizing beyond recognition this epic debacle, Macbeth, so there should be a law that director Sam Gold must never be allowed to come near another Shakespeare play for fear of criminally destroying yet another classic.

Lord, spare us from false prophets and pretentious “visionary” directors who think they have new ideas to infuse into classic Shakespeare for new audiences. Sitting through this version of Macbeth, in almost complete darkness, except for the use of flashlights, green and red blinding laser lights, and a handheld bright light torch under Lady Macbeth’s chin in her hallucinated state, one can’t help but wonder—what the hell is going on here? It is hard enough traversing through gender-bending roles, and then having these players play multiple characters in the same outfits and try to disseminate who they are at that moment. Then you have to ask why is everyone doing different accents? Also why are there so many distracting sound effects? There is absolutely no cohesion.

I’ll fast-track it for you: Macbeth (Daniel Craig) and Banquo (Amber Gray) have defeated Scottish rebels in a civil war. On the way back, they encounter a coven of witches (who are always making soup and scrambled eggs—please, don’t ask— and also play various other roles). The witches tell Macbeth he will be the Thane of Cawdor and then be King of Scotland. Duncan, the current King of Scotland, rewards Macbeth with the title of Thane of Cawdor. Poor Duncan comes to the Macbeth’s home to celebrate the end of the civil war, only to be murdered by them. Then Banquo gets murdered. Macbeth gets haunted by the ghost of Banquo and starts ranting. More prophecies: Lady Macbeth (Ruth Negga) who’s been sleepwalking and hallucinating, goes mad with guilt and claims “all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten these little hands” and kills herself. MacDuff (Grantham Coleman), friend of old King Duncan, avenges him by killing Macbeth, and crowns Malcolm (Asia Kate Dillon) Duncan’s son, as the rightful heir to Scotland.

With such minimalism, and a mostly bare stage, you would think you are watching the third day of rehearsal of a college production. With so much ranting and raving, the same actors in different characters overacting, it makes the dreadful 2013 version of Macbeth with Ethan Hawke at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre seem like a masterpiece.

If you are still inclined to see this Macbeth because of Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga, I urge you to watch the 2021 film The Tragedy of Macbeth starring Denzel Washington first, just to give you a sense of what’s going on here.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published June 2, 2022

‘MACBETH’: Ruth Negga. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘MACBETH: Maria Dizzia, Daniel Craig & Amber Gray. Photo: Joan Marcus.

The post ‘Macbeth’: Something wretched this way comes appeared first on StageZine.

‘THE GREAT SOCIETY’: Brian Cox. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade, 2019

THE GREAT SOCIETY
Written by Robert Schenkkan
Directed by Bill Rauch
Through November 30, 2019
Vivian Beaumont Theatre
150 West 65th Street
(212-239-6200), www.ltc.org

By David NouNou

The Great Society is a continuation of Robert Schenkkan’s 2014 Tony Award-winning play All the Way, which focused on Lyndon Baines Johnson’s first-term presidency taking over for the assassinated John F. Kennedy. The triumph of that play was Bryan Cranston’s outstanding Tony-winning performance as LBJ which gave the show its gravitas. Mr. Cranston may not have looked like LBJ, but his stature and tone gave us the essence of the man.

All the Way ended in 1964 where LBJ wins the presidency and the beginning of his wheelings and dealings, especially when it came to working with Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement. It centered on a critical juncture in American history and was focused on the subject. The Great Society picks up in January 1965 with LBJ (Brian Cox) giving his inaugural speech. His message dealt with civil rights, healthcare, welfare and education. Does that sound familiar 54 years later?

The Great Society, in addition to dealing with MLK (Grantham Coleman), now goes into the riots in Selma, Alabama, Watts in Los Angeles and the advent of “Black Power” as well as Chicago and its corrupt mayor Richard Daley (Marc Kudish). LBJ has his supporter, Hubert Humphrey (Richard Thomas) and rival Bobby Kennedy (Bryce Pinkham). It goes further in depth with the involvement of America in Vietnam and its strong advocate, Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, (Matthew Rauch). It all leads up to 1968 as the death toll and casualties in Vietnam escalate and LBJ decides not to run for a second term as president, and the chilling conclusion of Richard M. Nixon (David Garrison) being elected president. Of course, the audience gets a chuckle because we all know how that turned out.

Mr. Schenkkan has certainly crammed a lot of American history into one night. He has shown us a parallel perspective of the chaos then, that seems almost parallel but tame to the chaos ensuing these days on a daily basis. The fatigue quotient is overwhelming. Because of the abundance of material here, the subject matter is unfocused and the multitude of scenes seem more like vignettes than actual historical moments. He is not aided by his director Bill Rauch. Mr. Rauch could have edited the play more and added focus to the scenes instead of having them all run into each other.

Brian Cox, the renowned British actor, is an odd choice to follow Mr. Cranston as LBJ. He lacks the stature and the tone of the 36^th president of the United States and what you are left with is a gruff exterior and blustery caricature, thus starting the evening on a wrong note. What you do have are admirable performances by Marc Kudish as Mayor Daley, Richard Thomas as Hubert Humphrey, Bryce Pinkham as Robert Kennedy, Matthew Rauch as Robert McNamara and David Garrison as Richard Nixon as smarmy as ever. Since Nixon plays a central figure in the end of The Great Society, one has to wonder if Mr. Schenkkan is planning a third part for a trilogy?

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published October 3, 2019
Reviewed at October 2, 2019 press performance.

‘THE GREAT SOCIETY’: Marc Kudisch & Brian Cox. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade, 2019

‘THE GREAT SOCIETY’: (left to right) Brian Cox, Richard Thomas, Gordon Clapp. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade, 2019

‘THE GREAT SOCIETY’: (left to right) Marchant Davis, Brian Cox, Bryce Pinkham. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade, 2019

‘THE GREAT SOCIETY’: Grantham Coleman & cast. Photo: ‘THE GREAT SOCIETY’: Brian Cox. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade, 2019

‘THE GREAT SOCIETY’: Barbara Garrick & Brian Cox. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade, 2019

The post ‘The Great Society’: Continuing saga of LBJ appeared first on StageZine.