The Tragedy of King Richard II Act 2, Scenes 2-4

191.

so we drive from Florida to North Carolina to see Alice Ripley in Next to Normal- the last stop in the U.S. on Saturday, we have tickets in the 2nd to last row. we can't see anything, but at least we can hear the show. lol then on Sunday afternoon we have FRONT ROW tickets that we paid a pretty penny for. we are SOOO excited. we walk in the theater, and discover that Alice Ripley is not performing. i literally cried. because i'm ridiculous. (no offense, but it's just not even close to the same without Alice.) we wait around for a couple hours to see if she would perform that night, but no... SO BUMMED. so. bummed.


act 2, scene 2
the (no-name) Queen of King Richard is seriously depressed. her husband is gone to Ireland, but she also has a nagging feeling that there is more grief to come. just as Bushy is trying to convince her that she has no reason to be worried, Green enters with news of Bolingbroke's arrival on English soil. many of their kinsmen have fled to Bolingbroke, to fight on his side. York comes in. he is worried that the people of England are on Bolingbroke's side too. York asks their kinsmen that are left to muster up as many men as possible to fight for England. after York leaves, the men discuss how impossible they find this task. is anyone on Richard's side anymore? Bushy and Green plan to head to Bristol Castle, and Bagot will head to Ireland to fetch Richard.

act 2, scene 3
Bolingbroke, Northumberland, and co are trudging through England near Berkeley Castle when they catch up with Northumberland's son, Harry Percy. Percy delivers more bad news about the country falling apart to his father. York comes to talk to Bolingbroke and find out what the heck is going on. he basically gives Bolingbroke a big WTF. (see quote below.) Bolingbroke explains that he was banished as Bolingbroke, but when his father died, he became the new Duke of Lancaster. he returns as Lancaster now. York says that he understands where he is coming from, but he doesn't think it's right to take matters into your own hands. you must trust in God. Bolingbroke announces that he is headed to Bristol Castle to (talk?) with Bushy and the rest. York accompanies him.

act 2, scene 4
a Welsh captain is talking to Salisbury. the captain is explaining that they have been waiting for 10 days without word from King Richard. they are ready to split. Salisbury tries to convince him to stay just a little longer, but he won't. they fear that King Richard is dead.


this play is so weird. we start with this formal event, and i would call it the point of no return. but then it feels like it launches straight into the crisis. there's no build to that. it's just pow! right out of the gate! i really do wish we could see more of what has happened to Richard and how he has changed rather than just hearing from the characters that he has. what was he like before? what are his bad influences like? what do they do to get him to make these bad decisions? is he really a good guy underneath all that? i am also surprised by how little stage time Richard has actually had so far. where is he? what is he doing? i think that actually adds a lot. he's the king, but he doesn't ever seem to be around.

this play has too many characters!!! i just didn't even mention them all. there's so many guys coming in and out, pretty inconsequentially, and it's nuts. how would you even pay this many actors? lol. i wonder how much of this people cut when they produce this play.

i. love. York. he seems to be the only one with a good head on his shoulders. anyone else with me here?

quote of the day:
'grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle.
i am no traitor's uncle; and that word "grace"
in an ungracious mouth is but profane.
why have those banished and forbidden legs
dared once to touch a dust of England's ground?
but then more "why?" why have they dared to march
so many miles upon her peaceful bosom,
frighting her pale-faced villages with war
and ostentation of despised arms?'
   -York; act 2, scene 3

for tomorrow: act 3, scenes 1 and 2

-rebecca may