“Three of the most prestigious Shakespeare companies. . .each took a different approach of casting its scheming title characters” (Tracy 1). This rift obviously caused many debates.
The Royal Shakespeare Company cast Arthur Hughes to play Richard, who has radial dysplasia, a condition where he has a missing thumb on a shorter right arm. Richard plans to use any means to claim the throne of England. He’s also notoriously hunchbacked, portraying the character as a mysterious figure. The company claims that Hughes is the first disabled actor they’ve cast. Royal Shakespeare’s artistic director, Gregory Doran, told the Times of London that the company will “probably not” accept actors who pretend to be disabled in their plays.
The Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada, took a different path when choosing Colm Feore to play Richard, “who has a deformed spine but who is not a hunchback” (Tracy 1). In New York City, the Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park cast Danai Gurira, a black woman, to act as a scheming duke planning to be the King of England.
What the three companies have in common is the widened viewpoint of casting actors from all different backgrounds, identities, and abilities.
The community also seems to be opening up more. After decades of white actors playing Othello in blackface and “caricatured” Asian roles, productions have used actors like this due to the criticism.
Although some commend this new perspective on casting, others worry about the limitation on “literalism” and “authenticity.” “Acting, after all, is the art of pretending to be someone you are not” (Tracy 2).
The Royal Shakespeare Company cast Arthur Hughes to play Richard, who has radial dysplasia, a condition where he has a missing thumb on a shorter right arm. Richard plans to use any means to claim the throne of England. He’s also notoriously hunchbacked, portraying the character as a mysterious figure. The company claims that Hughes is the first disabled actor they’ve cast. Royal Shakespeare’s artistic director, Gregory Doran, told the Times of London that the company will “probably not” accept actors who pretend to be disabled in their plays.
The Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada, took a different path when choosing Colm Feore to play Richard, “who has a deformed spine but who is not a hunchback” (Tracy 1). In New York City, the Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park cast Danai Gurira, a black woman, to act as a scheming duke planning to be the King of England.
What the three companies have in common is the widened viewpoint of casting actors from all different backgrounds, identities, and abilities.
The community also seems to be opening up more. After decades of white actors playing Othello in blackface and “caricatured” Asian roles, productions have used actors like this due to the criticism.
Although some commend this new perspective on casting, others worry about the limitation on “literalism” and “authenticity.” “Acting, after all, is the art of pretending to be someone you are not” (Tracy 2).
