Rose Theatre and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres have announced a new production of William Shakespeare’s Richard III, directed by and starring Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh as Shakespeare’s iconic antihero, Richard III.

Richard III runs at Liverpool Playhouse from 6-22 April 2023 and at Rose Theatre from 26 April-13 May 2023.

A tale of ambition and manipulation, Richard III charts the rise of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, as he deceives and murders anyone who stands in his path to becoming King. 

Reflecting on her own childhood in rural England in the 1960s, Adjoa Andoh sets out to explore how pathologising the body and ascribing evil intent due to a person's physical appearance can wear away at the soul. 

Adjoa Andoh said: “When Christopher Haydon, Artistic Director of the Rose Theatre, asked me what I might be interested in directing for their 2023 spring season, Richard lll was top of my list. 

“Richard is a character I have loved since childhood. Growing up in a tiny Cotswold village in the 1960s & 70s, I immediately felt a connection to someone singled out because of their appearance.

“On first reading Shakespeare's play as a child, I was outraged at the way Richard was portrayed, but now appreciate one of the questions Shakespeare posits - what happens to a person and their sense of self, if throughout their life bad intentions are ascribed to them based solely on their appearance? I call this body pathologising. It happens to many people in many circumstances across the world to this day, and in this production, I want to explore the story, and that question through the lens of race.

“I'm delighted that the show is a co-production with Liverpool Playhouse, as my mother is a Liverpudlian, and finally I get to perform in her beloved city; our childhoods united on stage. I can't wait to whip off the corsets and share this production with audiences in Liverpool and London next spring.”

Priority booking is now available, with general booking open from 5 December 2022.