Arts & Entertainment Compass

"Richard II" on August 1st, 2026 at the Cullum Theatre, American Theatre for Actors Classical Initiative. Directed by James Jennings. Produced by Sam Hardy and ATA.
War of the Sams! Sam Cruz as Richard the Second versus Sam Hardy as King Henry

I count myself lucky to have been able to study Shakespeare and his wealth of works. Richard II is one of those histories that doesn't get
produced terribly often, and so I find it so exciting to see a fully mounted production. In the era of TikTok, when our attention spans
have been shortened to 15 seconds or less, this audience was full of disciples of the Bard. Bravely assembled by the beating of the war drums, the company marched to center stage with the conviction of one going to war. There was a seriousness to the proceedings which cannot be matched by the flimsy plots of contemporary shows.

I've had the pleasure of seeing Sam Cruz perform at ATA before, and I was excited to recognize the leading man. King Richard goes through a slow and steady breakdown, losing control over his kingdom and position. My favorite moment with Sam Cruz was in Act 3, Scene 2, when Richard wearily orders his followers to sit with him and "tell sad stories of the death of kings." This speech was perfectly paced by Mr. Cruz, with the sweet delicious elocution of an actor in their prime paired with the melancholy of a cursed and vexed regent. All these kings were murdered, pronounces Richard, but they too are just men who need bread to survive, and feel grief and want and sorrow. Sam's performance did not lean on hysterics, and instead deftly navigated long speeches of heady introspection, seasoned with irony and
disappointment. Sam Cruz certainly gave a commanding performance.

The rival courtier Bolingbroke, having been exiled by Richard, endeavors to challenge him and take over his throne through rash conspiracy and brutal force. Our performance of Bolingbroke, who later
is crowned as King Henry, was smartly interpreted by Sam Hardy. I appreciated and enjoyed the costuming here, which layered in a non-binary queerness to the character. What originated in early scenes with Bolingbroke dressed in a leather and goth bad boy look later evolved toward a tailored retro look, including elements of queer
embellishment like heels and cosmetics. This allowed us to visually take the journey into power along with Bolingbroke, which I think was
a very smart move for this mostly stripped down bare bones production.

My favorite moment with Sam Hardy was when he took the bloody satchel containing Richard's head and grasped it closely to him like his favorite toy, all while chastising his followers and swearing his
disappointment in their act of treacherous murder. You could tell by the look in Sam's eyes as King Henry that despite whatever protestations he had made, he was very well pleased by the death of
his enemy. Sam Hardy gave an intriguing performance tinged with villany. Well spoken, good looking, and smartly dressed, this actor
took on a problematic role without reservations.

Excellent performances were turned in by the rest of the cast. Emery Lawrence as John of Gaunt gave the most unique character acting of the evening, assuming the physicality of a man many years his senior. Although challenged by the starkness of the setting, this actor made strong choices and drove the dramatic action early in the play. Annie
Unger was thrilling as the Queen. Her private promenade with her servant where they hid out in the garden to listen to the gardeners' gossip was heartbreaking. Not only was she beautifully radiant, Annie gave a sympathetic and brave performance as the Queen lost control of
her situation. Her gowns were terrific, and Annie was a gleaming example of a diamond in the rough. I was also partial toward actor Elias Vinoles playing several roles including Willoughby and
Fitzwater, whose passion for the craft was obvious. The strength of his performance was in his righteous vengeful indignation and driving
physicality.  I hope that the handsome Elias returns to the company in a larger role next time.

The production as a whole was very stripped down and bare bones, which actually helps you catch every little poem and couplet. My primary
complaint was there's a lot of black suits and too many white men onstage. I particularly appreciated the projections, which did the lion's share of the work setting the place and time. The staging was
mostly clean and crisp, but there were long sections of dialogue where the men stood in line and waited for their cue with very little action
or business to do. In the wistful world of war bound England one would hope for more pomp and circumstance than just the beating of a drum.

I look forward to seeing the next Classical Initiative production, which feels like a repertory company composed of only your smartest
friends.