King John
The play's first ever performance at the Globe!
King John
This is not just a great production but a major theatrical event. Don’t miss.
Daily Express
King John
The play's first ever performance at the Globe!
Why see King John?
HOLDING A MIRROR UP TO RUTHLESS POLITICS
Marking the 800th anniversary since the signing of Magna Carta, Shakespeare's shocking politically savvy play set during Plantagenet rule draws uncomfortable parallels with today's politicking and introduces one of the most infamous characters to the stage - not the eponymous King, but Faulconbridge the "Bastard".
Plantagenet Prince John, younger brother of Richard the Lionheart is determined to keep the throne for himself despite a stronger claim from his nephew Prince Arthur, he finds an astonishingly cruel answer to his prayers - he will blind his rival with a hot ion. But will his opponents allow him to carry out his vicious plan, or will John meet an untimely end in his ruthless quest for the crown?
This is the first time that the play has been performed at the Globe and a rare opportunity to see some vividly memorable characters brought to life on the stage, and now means that all 38 of Shakespeare's plays have been performed at this iconic venue. King John forms part of the Justice and Mercy season at the Globe.
Key Information
Audience
Suitable for ages 12+
Run Time
Three hours with interval
Dates
Finished 27 Jun 2015
Cast
Laurence Belcher as Arthur
Simon Coates as King Philip
Aruhan Galieva as Blanche of Castile
Joseph Marcell as Cardinal Pandulph
Barbara Marten as Eleanor of Aquitaine
Mark Meadows as Hubert
Tanya Moodie as Constance
Ciaran Owens as Louis the Dauphin
Daniel Rabin as Sailsbury
Jo Stone-Fewings as King John
Giles Terera as Austria
Alex Waldmann as The Bastard
Creative
Directed by James Dacre
Designed by Jonathan Fensom
Composed by Orlando Gough
Choreography by Scott Ambler
Reviews
Customer reviews
Luke
A clever and thoroughly comedic production.
A well composed script, tells the story of a charismatic London restaurantuer and his visit to an old aqaintance in North West London. Well casted and a real
seam of rich British humour runs through the play, whilst managing, ably to raise some wider pithy big society issues . The set is fantastic, a grubby council flat
with a very impressive backdrop. Be sure to have pre-theatre dinner as Mulligan cooks up a spaghetti bolognese live on stage! Go and see Skylight, for laughs
with Nighy and some well constructed 'fall guy' set pieces from Mulligan.
... Read more
Pierre O'Hallaran
Skylight
Saw this play 19 years ago with Micheal Gambon and Lia Williams an d loved it. Back then the play seemed to have more of a political punch as the country had grown to detest the sleazy Tory government
and
the left/right divide was more pronounced and topical. The play when first produced was set in the present and remains set in the early 1990s which again means that it loses some of its sharpness. Still, it's
always nice to see Bill Nighy (his psychiatrist in Blue Orange remains a personal treasure) and Carey Mulligan looks rather wonderful all the time. Nighy returns to the role of Tom and turns
in a charming rant of a performance with the audience and Kyra (Mulligan) hanging on his every word. If a little contrived at times, the dialogue is on the whole plausible and witty with both characters picking
out the flaws in each others' choices and lives. It is Mulligan who does not seem quite at peace with the role of Kyra, alas. ... Read more
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