It’s 1399. At the whim of the country’s leader, people live or die. England is ruled by the will and pleasure of one. And She Is Not a A Man. In fact, only women hold the power in this reimagined gender swapped version of Shakespeare’s Richard II.

This captivating play is all about power dynamics, and the personal and moral choices that the characters face.

Richelle II is in power. A queen whose only focus is her own needs. She takes at will and puts herself above the law. Her actions leave a trail of misery and discontent. The queen spares no-one, not even her family is safe. Until some decide that they’ve had enough. But will they overthrow a queen? And if even the highest born ladies in the land are powerless, where does that leave the men who have no voice at all? But where there is a will.. there is a way.. The question is: will you come and see it?    

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.

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?

Historical quote from Christine de Pizan 1399. “The man or the woman in whom resides greater virtue is the higher; neither the loftiness nor the lowliness of a person lies in the body according to the sex, but in the perfection of conduct and virtues.”

Chris de Pizan – Richelle II

“Not being man nor woman defines your quality

It only matters who you choose to be”

Richard II is of the few Shakespeare plays written entirely in iambic pentameter (verse). Our Richelle II adaptation adheres to the same principles Shakespeare uses in his works. The adaptation is 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.