RICHARD III
October 23, 2026 at 18:00
"Ion Dacian" National Operetta and Musical Theatre Hall
(Bd. Octavian Goga, no. 1)
Contemporary Richards conquer not through fear, but through jokes, charm, and promises, and political monsters are born from the credulity of the crowds.
The director has condensed and restructured the text, completing it with short passages from Henry VI, Part III, while keeping Shakespeare's verse and language intact. The intention is to offer the audience the opportunity to discover the beauty and richness of Shakespearean writing, as well as its relevance and depth across centuries.
The performance does not emphasize Richard's physical deformity, but the deformation of his mind – the archetype of the cultivated monster. He no longer inspires fear in the manner of 20th-century dictators; on the contrary, he smiles constantly, he is even jovial, which is why he is tolerated and allowed to rule the world.
The performance mirrors the crowd drawn to a leader who promises to solve all their problems with an iron fist, only to eventually be led by the very monster they created through their own naivety.
Translation: Horia Gârbea
Stage version and direction: Petru Hadârcă
Set design: Irina Gurin
Stage movement: Oleg Mardari
Original music: Valentin Lindo Strișcov
Light design: Andrei Fotescu
Video design: Vlad Adajuc
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, brother of King Edward IV, King Richard III: Anatol Durbală
George, Duke of Clarence, brother of King Edward IV: Alexandru Leancă
King Edward IV: Valentin Zorilă
Queen Margaret, widow of King Henry VI: Mihaela Strâmbeanu
Lady Anne, wife of Edward, son of King Henry VI, wife of Richard, Duke of Gloucester: Corina Rotaru
Duchess of York, mother: Tatiana Lazăr
Queen Elizabeth, wife of Edward IV: Cătălina Varaniță
Duke of Buckingham: Iurie Focșa
Lord Hastings: Dan Melnic
Catesby / gravedigger: Mihai Zubcu
James Tyrell / gravedigger / bishop: Ghenadie Gâlcă
Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby: Igor Babiac
Richard, the young Duke of York, son of Edward IV: Nicu Ciumașu
Edward, the young Prince of Wales, son of Edward IV: Renata Țurcan
Lord Rivers: Ilie Pârlog
Earl of Richmond: Sergiu Vîzdoagă
