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Shakespeare's Globe Richard II
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DC/Folger Theatre/Shakespeare's Globe Richard II

Shakespeare's Globe Richard II

Folger Theatre · Capitol Hill

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Who It's Good For

Essential viewing for anyone tired of "colorblind" Shakespeare productions, or those curious about how casting choices can fundamentally reshape a play's political resonance. If you've never considered what Richard II might mean through a woman-of-color perspective, this production will reorient your entire relationship to the play.

This 2019 Globe Theatre production reframes Shakespeare's study of political power through an entirely new lens: an all-women-of-color cast led by Adjoa Andoh, who also conceived and co-directed. Rather than a historical curiosity, the casting becomes interpretive alchemy, allowing Richard's vulnerability and descent from authority to resonate with fresh urgency. Andoh's vision doesn't apologize for its boldness—it argues, convincingly, that Richard II has always been about bodies deemed disposable by those in power. The Folger's free screening on Capitol Hill makes this landmark 2019 production accessible to anyone interested in what happens when you dismantle the default assumptions baked into canonical theater.

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Folger Theatre is in Capitol Hill. The nearest Metro station is Union Station (Red Line), located about a 10-minute walk away. The Blue and Silver Lines also serve Union Station, making it accessible from multiple directions across the city.
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Last updated April 9, 2026 · Summaries written by Theaterloop editors with AI assistance

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