Arts Brief Arts Brief (July 29, 2005)

All-female troupe takes on 'Richard III'

On July 31, all-female theater troupe Woman's Will pays homage to Shakespeare with a performance of "Richard III" at the Rengstorff House.

Erin Merritt, artistic director of the traveling group, said it's appropriate that her 13-actor troupe take on the Bard's work, as it was originally performed solely by men. She said Shakespeare's intentions make the play easily adaptable to a cast of women.

"There aren't really any challenges in making it work for an all-female cast," she said. "Shakespeare was already writing it for a single-gender cast."

Audiences are encouraged to pack picnics and blankets to enjoy the outdoor performance. From a scenic garden setting, they can watch Shakespeare's infamous villain as he lies, cheats, seduces and steals his way to the throne of England. Full of action and emotion, the 2 3/4-hour work is enjoyable to watch, Merritt said.

"'Richard' is just a really fun, funny play," she said. "It's a tragedy for Richard, but fun for the audience."

The free performance takes place at 1 p.m. at the Rengstorff House, 3070 N. Shoreline Blvd. For more information, call (650) 903-6392 or visit www.womanswill.org.
-- Katie Vaughn

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