THE FIGHT FOR THE CROWN (William Shakespeare’s Richard II)

The first show in the 10th Anniversary Season of West Virginia’s only professional Shakespeare troupe will take place February 10-11, 2023, at Mr. Taco in the Glen Elk neighborhood of Clarksburg, WV.“The Rustic Mechanicals’ history series, that begins with Richard II, is your chance to experience the original game of thrones, the clash of the mighty dynasties, the Wars of the Roses, England’s history, our history, the rise and fall of kings as only Shakespeare and the Rustic Mechanicals can deliver,”Shakespeare’s Richard II presents a momentous struggle between Richard II (Young) and his cousin Henry Bullingbrook (Brooks). Richard is the legitimate king; he succeeded his grandfather, King Edward III, after the earlier death of his father Edward, the Black Prince. Yet Richard is also seen by many as a tyrant, a man whose vanity threatens to divide the great houses of England and drag his people into a dynastic civil war that will last 100 years.

Richard toys with his subjects, exiling Bullingbrook for six years. When he seizes the title and property that should be Bullingbrook’s, Richard threatens the very structure of the kingdom. Bullingbrook returns with an army that is supported by nobles and commoners alike, both believing themselves oppressed by Richard. This sets the stage for a confrontation between his army and the tradition of sacred kingship supporting the isolated but now more sympathetic Richard.

The Rustic Mechanicals’ script-in-hand performance series “a Play, a Pie, and a Pint” is all about the synergistic convergence of three of life’s most amazing things: pizza, beer, and Shakespeare, especially under-produced Shakespeare!
THE FIGHT FOR THE CROWN (William Shakespeare’s Richard II) can be seen Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11 in the upstairs event space at Mr. Taco in the Glen Elk section of Clarksburg, WV. All tickets are $25, which includes the food and the play. A cash bar will be on-hand to provide the beer. Seating is limited and reservations are required.
To purchase tickets visit our.show/rmrichardii, or email VintageTheatreCo@gmail.com for more information.