Richard of Bordeaux is the king of England. Only 19 years old--and having been a king for 10 of those years-- he is ready to cast off the council of uncles and advisors and assert his independence as a ruler. With his Queen Anne at his side, Richard slowly and deliberately eliminates the influence of his three uncles (York, Lancaster, and Gloucester) while putting trusted friends into key government positions. He is a young king with a world of possibilities in front of him. But Richard, even as he outsmarts and outmaneuvers his adversaries, is pulled into a political quagmire. After his beloved wife dies, he becomes the Richard II of the history books: immature, vindictive, and self-indulgent. With this course of his character, there can be only one tragic conclusion.
Richard of Bordeaux was an instant success at London’s New Theatre in 1933, making director John Gielgund (who also played the titular role) a dominant theatrical force. Inspired by Shakespeare’s Richard II, Elizabeth Mackintosh throws off typical portrayals and creates a sympathetic portrayal of a young man still searching for how to be a king.
Richard of Bordeaux guide sections
