Richard II

Expanded Arts’ first show of the 2001 Parking Lot season, is Shakespeare’s Richard II. Director Jennifer Spahr has re-arranged the history play to begin while Richard is in prison. He will go through his epiphany while remembering his downfall. The “real time” will be his stay in prison, the visit from the queen, the deposition and finally his death. Richard will “flashback” to the banishment of Bollingbrook and Molbray, his dealings with Gaunt and the Irish wars — all points where Richard “went wrong”. Alternative songs from the late ’80s (The Cure, New Order, The Smiths, etc.) will further emphasize the decadence of a rightful king.