Evening star., 1954-01-18

fore him his cousin. Henry
Bolinbroke. son of John of
Gaunt. duke of Lancaster. and
Thomas Mowbray, duke Of
Norfolk, to charge each other
with treason. After hearing
their arguments, Richard or
ders them to make peace,
When they both refuse he
angrily sends them into exile,
Norfolk fer life and Boiling
broke for six years. He Is es-
pecially anxious to be rid of
Bolingbroke because Of the lat
ter's growing popularity with
the people.
Needing gold to carry on a
war in Ireland, Richard mort
cages the nations revenues to
money lenders. His uncle, the
aged John Of Gaunt, i'll unto
death, chtdes him for leasing
out" the realm like to a tene-
ment." Gaunt dies and Rich
ard promptly seizes and con-
fiscates to the crown his entire
estate, which rightly should go
to Gaunt's son, the exiled Boil
ingbroke. While Richard is in
Ireland, the diSaffected mobiles
learn that Bolingbroke plans to
return with a force of 5000
men. to claim his own. Aware
Of the justice of his cause, and
hating Richard for his des-
potic arrogance. they set of to
join forces with Bolingbroke.
4 y
Act Two.
Bollingbroke welcomes the
mobiles who rally to his side.
Even the duke of York, mis-
uncle and Rit hard's. whcm the
king has named regent during
his absence. finding himself
without men or money to
resist the forces of Bolingbroke,
goes over to him.
Richard. returning from Ire
land with small following,
learns Of this assertion and
betrayal. He takes refuge in
Berkeley Castle. There he con
fers with Bolin2broke, who
artfully protests his Loyalty and
pleads that all he desires is
that mis- sentence of banish-
ment be repealed and his
patrimony restored. The now
powerless monarch yields and
proceeds to London with his
formidable foe, practically,
though not openly. a prisoner.
Act Three.
Cunningly it is contrived
that Richard shall offer to
abdicate so that Bolingbroke's
assumption of the crown as
King Henry " shall appear
logical and legal. Immediately
upon Richards abdication.
Bolingbroke reveals his true
character and purpose. and
orders Richard conveyed to
the Tower Of London and his
queen banished to France.
Richard is then sent to the
Castle Of Pomfret, where he is
murdered by Sir Pierce of
Exton with the connivance of
the new king. The latter,
secretly elated. publicly la
ments the deed as the final
curtain falls.
Or, as William Hazlitt-wher
you get culture around here
you really get culture-put it
THE steps by which Boiling.
broke mounts the throne ar,
those by which Richard sink,
into the grave" This probabl,
Is as neat a switch of sympathy
rs has been seen, or as was seer
until Russia turned on German,
IN World War II. The victim O,
the despot, first Bolingbroke, il
the end Richard, is the hero. o.
ut lease the man for whom vol
have a certain amount of pity
Hall Of Fame" is giving Mr.
Evans two hours, from 4 to
pm. next Sunday to make al
Of this eminently clear. It is hi.
own adaptation of the historica
drama which the actor will use
He brough the play to Broadway
In 1887. the first time it had beer
acted in this country in decades
and confounded a number oi
pophets Of doom. It was such q
success in New York that Evan.
later toured in it.
AS for the quality Of the per.
Torrance you can expect next
you will be watching 9
man upon whom high praise was
showered back in 1887. The gen.
eral view was voiced by Johr
Mason Brown. then a regular
member Of the first string New
York drama jury.
Seeing King Richard II will
think" wrote Mr.. Brown, "con-
vince you that in Maurice Evans
,he English-speaking theater has
oy all odds the finest and most
accomplished actor Of the pres
snt time" And now a II years