CROOKBACK

Writing to please Elizabeth I, and relying on Tudor sources which portrayed Richard III as a usurper of the throne and tyrannical serial killer, Shakespeare created one of the greatest villains of literature - a fictional character that came to supplant the Richard of history. But how different might be Shakespeare's 'Tragedy of Richard III' were he writing it today, free from political constraints and with access to all the historical information we now have available? That is the question 'CROOKBACK' sets out to answer, and, in doing so, this comprehensive rewriting of the original play, in updated language, presents a more complex and nuanced protagonist, neither devil nor saint, whose actions are a reaction to dangerous times. Upon the death of Edward IV, multiple individuals scheme to seize the crown, and Richard, the loyal younger brother who overcame scoliosis and prejudice to excel on the field of battle, does what he calculates necessary to thwart his enemies and ensure his own survival. Events soon race beyond Richard's control, however, and toward a date with destiny on the battlefield at Bosworth.