Peace and prosperity appear to have returned to England after a long civil war. This prosperity is guaranteed by King Edward, of the house of York. However, the king’s younger brother Richard is thirsty for power.  Because he is not high in the order of succession, he ruthlessly and with a seductive charm employs violence, diplomacy, persuasion, pretence and every means at his disposal to surmount the many obstacles that bar his way to the crown.

With unparalleled assurance, Shakespeare draws on history to create a monstrous but charming villain through which to explore one of his favourite themes: the insatiable hunger for power, the chaos that follows, and the inevitable fall, in a world that lives and thrives on violence and cruelty.