EXAMPLES OF ACTIVE APPROACHES
Richard IIIKey Stage 3 and 4
RSC Education
A key question that we ask in rehearsal is - 'is this scene public or private?' Making decisions about where the scene is set, who is listening, whether any of the characters want to be overheard or whether characters wish to have a private conversation, can radically alter the interpretation of a scene.
Try acting the following edited scene between Richard and Elizabeth (Richard III, Act VI Scene 6, see below) in pairs, making choices about whether they are speaking in public or private.
Try the scene in the various ways suggested below. Discuss with the group:
- Do any of these choices make more sense than others?
- What lines of text stand out?
- Which interpretive choices worked well?
Play the scene as if...
- As if Richard is aware that his all courtiers are listening and he is trying to amuse them, and Elizabeth is trying to condemn Richard in public
- As if they are having a quiet conversation in the corner of a room not wanting to be overheard by others
- As if they want to keep as far away from each other as possible in a large empty room
- As if Richard has got Elizabeth alone and wants to have a quiet chat and Elizabeth, fearful of being alone with Richard, wants people outside the door to overhear her
Copy and paste the text below into a plain new document for use by your group.
Richard lll Act 4 Scene 4 (edited)
RICHARD Stay, madam. I must talk a word with you.
You have a daughter called Elizabeth,
Virtuous and fair, royal and gracious.
I will confess she was not Edward's daughter.
RICHARD Wrong not her birth; she is a royal princess.
ELIZABETH To save her life, I'll say she is not so.
RICHARD Her life is safest only in her birth.
ELIZABETH And only in that safety died her brothers.
RICHARD You speak as if that I had slain my cousins.
ELIZABETH Cousins indeed, and by their uncle cozened
Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life.
RICHARD Then know that from my soul I love thy daughter.
And do intend to make her queen of England.
ELIZABETH Well then, who dost thou mean shall be her king?
RICHARD Even he that makes her queen. Who else should be?
ELIZABETH What, thou?
RICHARD Even so. How think you of it?
ELIZABETH How cans't thou woo her?
RICHARD Say that I did all this for love of her.
ELIZABETH Nay, then indeed she cannot choose but hate thee,
Having bought love with such a bloody spoil.
RICHARD Look, what is done, cannot be now amended.
If I did take the kingdom from your sons,
To make amends I'll give it to your daughter.
Again shall you be mother to a king,
Go then, my mother, to thy daughter go
And lead thy daughter to a conqueror's bed.
ELIZABETH Under what title shall I woo for thee
That God, the law, my honour, and her love
Can make seem pleasing to her tender years?
RICHARD Tell her that the king, that may command, entreats.
ELIZABETH That at her hands which the king's King forbids.
RICHARD Say she shall be a high and mighty queen.
ELIZABETH To vail the title, as her mother doth.
RICHARD Say I will love her everlastingly.
ELIZABETH But how long fairly shall her sweet life last?
RICHARD As long as heaven and nature lengthens it.
ELIZABETH As long as hell and Richard likes of it.
RICHARD In her consists my happiness and thine.
Without her follows to myself and thee,
Herself, the land, and many a Christian soul,
Death, desolation, ruin and decay.
It cannot be avoided but by this.
ELIZABETH Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?
RICHARD Ay, if the devil tempt you to do good.
ELIZABETH Shall I go win my daughter to your will?
RICHARD And be a happy mother by the deed.
ELIZABETH I go. Write to me very shortly,
And you shall understand from me her mind.
RICHARD Bear her my true love's kiss, and so farewell.
Exit ELIZABETH
Relenting fool and shallow, changing woman.
