See Dick Run (w/designers)

The designer run arrived and went. All in all I think people were happy. It’s such a monstrous play as far as politics, death and the simple amount of lines Richard has that it can be exhausting to watch as well as play. Reg is going at it like a champ, surely losing five pounds per act and his drive is enough that the rest of us get swept along.

A couple things that have maturated nicely in the most recent run: The textual cuts look and sound good. There doesn’t seem to be any extra dangly bits hanging off this particular theatrical cut of meat. Apt metaphor actually, since the play is now lean and bloody.

With the text changes a couple characters that were given a little short shrift have been brought nicely to the fore. Catesby and Ratcliffe (in previous productions I’ve seen they have been confused, combined or cut entirely) now have an individual personality and satisfying arc to each of them.

The addition of a couple extra female characters to the show; Mistress Shore (“mistress” to King Edward and Lord Hastings) and Young Elizabeth (King Edward’s daughter, later espoused to Richmond.) These are “extra-textual ladies” that are alluded to in the script but that Mark has popped directly into the story. R3 is a play with the potential to be a massive Y Chromosome party so it’s nice to expand the women’s role a bit. Plus Mistress Shore in particular gives us a chance to add a little sex to the general violence and we all know audience people HATE that.

Finally, I think we can safely assure that the play will be under 3 hours (knock on wood!) It moves along like a little Italian motorcar (making occasional stops to hit dogs and squish pedestrians) and with any luck people will be out before the sun rises.