Richard ?III is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays on the stage and has
been adapted successfully for film. This new and innovative edition recognizes
the play's pre-eminence as a performance work: a perspective that informs every
aspect of the editing. Challenging traditional practice, the text is based on
the 1597 Quarto which, brings us closest to the play as it would have been
staged in Shakespeare's theater. The introduction, which is illustrated,
explores the long performance history from Shakespeare's time to the present.
The commentary gives detailed explanation of matters of language, staging, text,
and historical and cultural contexts, providing coverage that is both carefully
balanced and alert to nuance of meaning. Documentation of the extensive textual
variants is organized for maximum clarity: the readings of the Folio and the
Quarto are presented in separate sections, and more specific information is
given at the back of the book. Appendices also include selected passages from
the main source and a special index of actors and other theatrical personnel.