The long and the short of it: QE’s Richard III was “brilliant”

The cast of Richard III enjoyed the honour of being the first to put on a drama production in QE’s new Robert Dudley Studio – before attracting a rave review when they repeated their performance at North Finchley’s Artsdepot.

Although the play is one of Shakespeare’s longest, depicting the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of the eponymous king, it was performed as an abridged version for the Shakespeare Schools Festival.

And in line with one of its most famous quotations – “’Tis better, sir, to be brief than tedious” – in its 30-minute form it lost none of its impact. According to theatre and opera director Callie Nestleroth, all the actors, including Year 13’s Robin Bickers in the title role, impressed with the “depth and emotional complexity” they brought to the production.

Callie, who wrote following the ensemble’s Artsdepot appearance, described the performance as “brilliant” and “a joy to watch”. Originally from the USA, she is currently working as a director with numerous organisations, including Opera Holland Park, Streetwise Opera and Royal Academy Opera.

Her 350-word appraisal addressed to the School picked out a number of aspects of the production:

• “Your fresh and inventive take on Richard III. The way you streamlined and modernised the play felt both bold and inspired, breathing new life into a classic text.”
• “The creativity you brought to the battle scene…was a standout moment. Instead of relying on props as weapons, the actors’ physicality and movement became the primary means of establishing threat and violence”
• “The truly collaborative atmosphere. It was evident that you all worked together to bring your vision of the play to life.”
• “The layers within your performances were numerous and intricate. Despite the underlying tension, you managed to bring humour and wit to many moments, making it both gripping and surprising at every turn.”

Stating that she was already looking forward to seeing next year’s QE Shakespeare Schools Festival production, she said: “This was an edgy, nuanced, and poignant Richard III from a professional and creative cast.”

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “The Robert Dudley Studio is a great addition to our facilities here, and it is great to have been able to inaugurate our own drama productions there with such an impressive performance. My congratulations go to all the cast and to colleagues involved in staging this memorable production.”

• Click on the thumbnails below to view the photos.