Adapted by Tom Wright and Benedict Andrews

Directed by Benedict Andrews

As the culmination of their three years together, Sydney Theatre Company’s renowned resident ensemble, the STC Actors Company, presents The War Of The Roses, an audacious epic of language and history.

Joining the STC Actors Company is STC Co-Artistic Director Cate Blanchett, on stage in Australia for the first time in almost five years, as well as Robert Menzies, making a welcome return to the Company.

Over eight hours, The War Of The Roses spans eight of Shakespeare’s history plays, from the elegance and melancholy of Richard II through to the barbarity and catastrophe of Richard III, via some of Shakespeare’s most startling and inspired creations. The bittersweet underworld of Falstaff’s nights, the boy-failure who becomes a war hero in Henry V, the nightmare world of a child-king in Henry VI, the incisive language of Queen Margaret, all refracted by a creative team acclaimed for their vivid re-imaginings.

Condensed into four distinct acts and performed in two parts, this landmark production examines what it means to rule, to enact war, to take power and to lose power. It is the story of the failure of a civilisation and its replacement with a new world order.

Renowned for his distinctly bold interpretations of classic texts, The War Of The Roses marks internationally lauded director Benedict Andrews’ second collaboration with the STC Actors Company, following their award-winning production of Patrick White’s The Season At Sarsaparilla in 2007.

The War of the Roses Part 1
Act I   Richard II
Act II  Henry IV (parts 1 and 2); Henry V

Director - Benedict Andrews
Set Designer - Robert Cousins
Costume Designer - Alice Babidge
Lighting Designer - Nick Schlieper
Composer and Sound Designer - Max Lyandvert

With Cate Blanchett, Brandon Burke, Peter Carroll, Marta Dusseldorp, Eden Falk, John Gaden, Ewen Leslie, Steve Le Marquand, Hayley McElhinney, Amber McMahon, Robert Menzies, Luke Mullins, Pamela Rabe, Emily Russell

EAT DRINK TALK ART
Fri 16 Jan - The War of the Roses
STC Associate Director Tom Wright, actress Pamela Rabe and assistant director Tanya Goldberg share their experiences adapting and performing Shakespeare’s eight history plays in the theatrical epic The War of the Roses - Part 1 and Part 2. Hosted by Malthouse Theatre's Stephen Armstrong.
For more info on the Eat Drink Talk Art series, click here.

Company/production special thanks and acknowledgements.

PHOTOS: MARTIN MISCHKULNIG

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WHAT THE PRESS SAID

“The success of this production lies in its audacity, its strikingly resonant imagery and its ability to convey splendour.” SX – 5 February

"The complete and indispensable Shakespearean event ...more" - New York Times (of The War of the Roses)

"Clever, courageous and inspiring theatre ... more" - Daily Telegraph (of Benedict Andrews) 

"Extraordinary theatre ... more" - Time Out Sydney (Of Tom Wright's Women of Troy)

"The Sydney Theatre Company offers 'post-Bush Shakespeare' in The War of The Roses." - Time Out Sydney

“Seeing Cate Blanchett as Richard II is a tantalising prospect - one of many in the strong theatre program at the 2009 Sydney Festival...more” - Daily Telegraph

“SYDNEY Theatre Company is bringing Shakespeare's royal chronicle vibrantly to life...more” - The Australian

“The War of the Roses shows the power a playwright has to shape our perception of the past.” - The Daily Telegraph

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COMMENTS

Nigel Smith 13/01/09

Saw Part 1 and I cannot wait for Part 2. A great experience of power, passion and control (and that is just the actors, let alone the whole). A stripped back stage provides the blank canvas to take the audience anywhere. Memorable.

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Paul Akhurst 15/01/09

War of the Roses Parts 1 & 2 (3.5/5) Bloody, stripped bare production of Shakespeare's two tetralogies: Part 1 Act 1: Richard II Part 1 Act 2: Henry IV parts 1 & 2, Henry V Part 2 Act 1: Henry VI, parts 1,2 & 3 Part 2 Act 2: Richard III Cate Blanchett (Richard II) and Robert Menzies (Bolingbroke) are outstanding in their malicious conflict for the Crown of England. Ninety minutes of gold flutter covers the cast in royal inscrutability. The telling of Henry's IV & V is a little uneven starting with a drawn-out and challenging homosexual scene. The closing scenes are worth the wait - played solo in front of the curtain by a rotation of blooded King Henry V (Ewen Leslie) and chorus this tale of warfare is dramatically told. Blood, blood and more blood sums up Henry VI's story. A series of surtitled vignettes dramatically and, very importantly, clearly play out a succession of wars and assassinations. The gruesome quantities of blood are entirely appropriate, though the repeated delivery by one actor spraying a mouthful of blood at another becomes a little tired by the umpteenth death. Our winter of discontent is swathed in another long, impressionistic flutter drop, this time of snow. The pace pick-ups nicely as we move into the young princes murder and the Battle of Bosworth. Richard III is played with convincing and increasing madness by Pamela Rabe, though the dialogue can be too fast as a substitute for anger. Although occasionally uneven the 8 hours of this production pass quickly, which is surely indicative of a worthy final effort by the Actors Company.

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Mary Tang 29/01/09

I found the blood tiresome and the 'music' unnecessarily loud but the four hours did pass quickly. The actors could speak more clearly (the women spoke better than men, as in real life) but I guess they must be tired by now. Ewen Leslie has a certain presence. Cate Blanchett must have been the draw card as some people did not come back after the interval. Having the actors face the audience rather than each other when in dialogue is disconcerting because instead of exchanging looks some stare into space like zombies. In fact the zombie look was the thing. I'd give it three and a half stars but can't do halves so three tonight. Less, if it wasn't Shakespeare.

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Mary Tang 30/01/09

The gold glitters and gore were overdone; effective for a while but even the actors were spitting them out in the end. Ewen Leslie's performance stood out, and Cate Blanchette managed to be expressive despite obvious directions to behave like zombies reciting Shakespeare. Shakespeare saved the night and earned this performance three stars.

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