Whatever you have in mind when you picture Shakespeare’s Richard III, this is not that.
Spallumcheen's Caravan Farm Theatre makes sure of that.
In Richard III: The Last Hurrah, Caravan Farm Theatre’s wild, forest cabaret reimagining, one of history’s most love-to-hate-him bad guys is played by a stand-up comic with saucy moves; a real horse emerges from the woods to act as the king’s conscience; and The Wailing Queens — a country band featuring Anne, Margaret and Elizabeth — hijack the story.
“This version of Richard,” says Vancouver actor-comedian Ryan Beil, who plays the famous villain and co-wrote the adaptation with Yvette Nolan and Estelle Shook, “is definitely for the people.”
For the people and by the people.
Bringing the hilarious script to life for audiences July 8 to Aug. 3 are fellow Caravan stars such as Colin Heath (The Nutcracker), fiddler Ajineen Sagal (too many Caravan shows to mention!), Rebecca Auerbach (Little Brother Little Sister, Bedstefadr), and Dawn Petten, (Midsummer Night’s Dream, Every Brilliant Thing).
Just a few hours after the cast gathered for the first rehearsal in early June, Shook, also Caravan's artistic director, says: “We have this incredible ensemble of people who are actors and musicians and singers and comedians, and because they all know each other, it does feel like this sketch comedy troupe and they're all going to get their mitts on the story and make it their own.”
Perhaps none more so than Beil, who unpacks his checkered career and relives his calamitous courtships — much to the delight of audiences in this immersive confession/last hurrah under the glow of the moon. For so many reasons, Shook says, the story of Richard is one that’s incredibly timely.
“He’s one of the most fun-to-watch villains in theatre. We’re surrounded by charismatic bad guys right now so it’s a bit of a deep dive into why we love hanging out with people who do bad things.”
What else makes The Last Hurrah such a good time and so characteristically Caravan?
Nolan, one of the three writers, says, “Most people tend to know two things about Richard: One is that he got the crown by nefarious means, and the other is that he says, ‘A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse.’ And so, the great thing is, here, before he even calls for a horse, the horse is really there. You never see the real horse in Richard III.”
A white horse with terrific comedic timing. A breezy, shady Gazebo stage on the hill that doubles as a nightclub. And contemporary scores with a fiddling flair and a bit of electronica leading up to some climactic moments. That’s what else is in store.
“It’s going to be fun,” says Shook. “We are definitely going to get our comedy club on.”
Richard III: The Last Hurrah runs July 8 to Aug. 3 and shows start nightly at 7:30 pm. Tickets and more information are available at caravanfarmtheatre.com.
