This play is a captivating exploration of power, identity, and the complexities of leadership. It delves into political and social struggles, focusing on the dramatic downfall of Queen Richelle II at the hands of her cousin, Helen Bolingbroke. This play is not just a recounting of historical events; it is a profound meditation on the nature of queenship and the responsibilities that come with it.

With the full gender swap in this play, we explore the difference of the male and female voices in the power dynamics. We will be shedding light on the role of both genders and how our modern perception shifts as we immerse ourselves in a world that could have been. Exploring what changes it does to the play and how it matches the theme, the divine right of the queen vs meritocracy.

How do you live in a world where you are defined by your birth? How can you break out of it and what damage does that upheaval bring?

Richelle II is of the few Shakespeare plays written entirely in iambic pentameter (verse). This brings a high quality to the characters’ introspections, particularly Richelle’s, as she grapples with her loss of power and identity.

This play is an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Richard II. Adaptation by our artistic director; Jo van der Meij.

Welcome to Park Avenue Theater’s “Richelle II”, performed in the historical location of Cometa, Amsterdam Noord.