Richard opens the play by describing to us a peaceful England: ‘the winter of our discontent’—the long years of the Wars of the Roses have recently ended—is ‘made most excellent summer by this Son of York’—that Son being his oldest brother, King Edward IV.  Richard reveals his secret bitterness at this state of events, and that he himself plots to be King. King Edward is already dying, so Richard plots to have the second brother George, the Duke of Clarence, imprisoned and executed by King Edward, after which he will continue his rise to power by wooing and wedding the Lady Anne.  He is successful in both.


by Drew Reeves, Associate Producer

Richard has many enemies, chiefly Queen Elizabeth’s relatives who have been promoted to high positions since her marriage to Edward.  He also has very outspoken enemies in the former Queen Margaret and his own mother, the Duchess of York.

King Edward dies and Richard is made Lord Protector to his eldest son, who is to be King Edward V.  With the help of his supporters, most notably the Duke of Buckingham, Richard maneuvers to have all who oppose him executed and convinces enough of the populace that young Edward is illegitimate and that Richard should rightfully be King.


Once Richard has been crowned King, he plots to have his nephews, the rightful heirs to the throne, murdered.  He also turns against his closest friend and ally, Buckingham.  News is brought that many lords are fleeing to join Henry, Earl of Richmond, who is making a claim for the throne, and for Queen Elizabeth’s daughter.  Richard attempts to win the Queen’s daughter for himself.


Richmond lands in England, Buckingham is caught and executed.  Richard’s and Richmond’s armies face each other at Bosworth Field.  The night before the battle, the ghosts of all of those slain at Richard’s hand visit each camp, predicting doom for Richard and victory for Richmond.  Their prophesies prove true and Richard is defeated and killed.  Richmond is to be King Henry VII, the first of the Tudor line.