Washington Post - Somewhat Recommended
"...The impression of physical near-perfection that the finely spoken Cortese conveys - the only concession to Richard's deformity here is a limp that could have resulted from a sprained ankle - is a hindering element in this otherwise decently handled "Richard III." Not because the notion of a sexy Richard isn't an interesting choice, but because Richmond and Cortese don't exploit this idea to the hilt."
DC Theater Arts - Highly Recommended
"...Richard III is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays, and with good reason. In his fascinating interview posted on the National Theatre's website, Sir Ian McKellan notes the play's relevance. "Ever want to get inside the mind of a bully?" Certainly on the international scene, he adds, there is no shortage of Richards. As an actor who has successfully played Richard on stage and screen, McKellen's insight into the character is exceptional; yes, Richard does dreadful things, but he is afflicted with a disability, and although a gifted warrior who virtually set his brother on the throne, he has been pointed at, vilified, and disliked by his mother for his whole life.Yes, Richard is bad, bad, bad; but he is not without charm, and he is, in his own way, viciously entertaining.""
Washingtonian - Recommended
"...This is a show worth seeing for Cortese alone-the kind of Richard who's uncomfortably charismatic wrenching the ring off his wife's corpse before tenderly placing it on his own finger-and in the Folger's small theater, the sense of being passively complicit in his actions is stronger than ever. Richmond's Richard III is gratifying proof of how bracing and entertaining Shakespeare's history plays can be, even if it isn't exactly sure in which chapter of history it belongs."
ShowBizRadio - Highly Recommended
"...Take this opportunity to see Richard III in the unexpected setting of the Folger Theatre in the round. It has an intimacy to it. Words are not lost. Meanings easily conveyed. Take this opportunity to know a charmer who doesn't want to kill everyone, just his enemies. Well, those he defines as his enemies, no matter the gender or age."
DramaUrge - Recommended
"...For all the high concept production values, the script falters in places. This is a play about two families, three queens (and a duchess who talks and looks like one), four kings, and plenty of back story - some referred to or assumed to be common knowledge. There are second marriages, in-laws, and illegitimacies to sort out as well as names to keep straight: three Edwards, a pair of Elizabeths, and several Richards. Then there's the inevitable paring of the lines in this big 5-Acter: Shakespeare's compression of events is further shortened to get in everything in less than three hours while preserving the big scenes and lines. Lady Anne's no sooner wooed and wed, before she's dead. And Richard comes courting again before it's off to Bosworth Field and a new order which will look a whole lot like the last one, only institutionalized."
MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended
"...To be sure, Folger's Richard III fascinates its audience with its spectacle of characters and its unique perspective, not only on Shakespeare's play but on Folger Theatre itself, as it is turned into a performance space more akin to its Globe original."
DCTheatreScene - Highly Recommended
Robert Richmond unmakes that sense by casting Drew Cortese, who is buff and handsome and melifluous and bitchingly arrayed in clothes I wish I had the verve to wear, as Richard. He has no more reason to despise himself than you or I. His self-loathing is primordial,
