Rose Rage - Part Two

Synopsis

Rose Rage is a new look at the Henry VI plays by William Shakespeare. Rose Rage condenses Shakespeare's trilogy into two parts, which can be seen either individually or as a double event. This cut version, performed by an all-male cast, is extremely exciting and accessible to modern audiences, so if you think Shakespeare isn't your thing...think again.

Our Review:

17 June 2002

Director Edward Hall claims that someone could see either part of the Rose Rage double bill separately, but it's doubtful that anyone would. It's true that there is a brief amount of exposition at the start of this, the second play, but the casual observer would find it hard to ascertain what was going on. By making so many cuts, Rose Rage presents rather a potted history and you miss the more measured descent into the horrors of war.

Perhaps the second part (which is a cut-down version of Henry VI Part III) isn't quite as compelling as the first. There is no coup de theatre such as the Cade rebellion to excite the audience, but there are compensations. First and foremost, there's Richard Clothier's suavely villainous and sadistic Richard - a compelling presence on the stage. The play really should be called Richard III Part I so dominant is his presence, and Clothier makes the most of the chance to show us how one of the stage's gr...

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Latest User Review

USER: Whatsonstage.com - 1 July 2002:

I saw the first performance of Rose Rage Part 2 and I was very impressed by the staging and the lighting made it very atmospheric. I didn't realise beforehand that the actors were all male and they dressed relatively "modern" but this didn't detract from the enjoyment at all. The acting was good though not always easy to follow. ...

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