Cultural depictions of Richard II of England facts for kids

Richard II was a King of England who lived a long time ago, from 1377 to 1399. Even though he lived centuries ago, his story is still very popular. Many writers, filmmakers, and TV producers have created works about him. This shows how interesting his life and times were to people.

Richard II in Books and Plays

Shakespeare's Famous Play

One of the most famous stories about Richard II is a play by William Shakespeare. It is simply called Richard II. Shakespeare wrote this play around 1595. In it, Richard is the main character.

Other Plays and Novels

Richard II also appears in other plays. One is called Richard of Bordeaux by Gordon Daviot. Another older play, sometimes known as Thomas of Woodstock (play), also features him.

Many novels have included King Richard II as a character.

• He is in The New June by Henry Newbolt.
• He appears in The Named by Marianne Curley.
• He is a main character in The Crucible Trilogy by Sara Douglass.
• You can find him in The Gentle Falcon by Hilda Lewis.
• He is also in Das Lächeln der Fortuna by Rebecca Gablé, a German writer.
• Richard is a main character in Within The Hollow Crown by Margaret Campbell Barnes.
• He appears with his wife, Anne of Bohemia, in the play Two Planks and a Passion by Anthony Minghella.

Richard II on Television

King Richard II has been shown many times on television. Most of these TV shows are based on Shakespeare's play.

Actors Who Played Richard II in Shakespeare's Play on TV

Many actors have played Richard II in TV versions of Shakespeare's play.

• Alan Wheatley played him in a BBC version in 1950.
• Maurice Evans was Richard in an American version in 1954.
• David William played him in the BBC series An Age of Kings in 1960.
• Ric Hutton was Richard in an Australian TV version in 1960.
• Hannes Messemer played him in a West German version in 1968.
• Ian McKellen was Richard in another BBC version in 1970.
• Tamás Jordán played him in a Hungarian version in 1976.
• Derek Jacobi starred in the BBC Shakespeare version in 1978.
• Michael Pennington was Richard in The Wars of the Roses in 1989.
• Aleksandr Romantsov played him in a Russian version in 1992.
• Fiona Shaw played Richard in a British TV film in 1997.
• Michael Maertens was Richard in a German version in 2001.
• Mark Rylance played him in a BBC film in 2003, broadcast live from the Globe Theatre in London.
• Ben Whishaw played Richard in Richard II (2012). This was part of The Hollow Crown, a BBC series of Shakespeare's history plays.

Other TV Appearances

Richard II has also appeared in other TV adaptations.

• Andrew Osborn played him in a BBC show in 1938. This was based on the play Richard of Bordeaux.
• Peter Cushing also played Richard in another BBC adaptation of Richard of Bordeaux in 1955.
• Roger Allam played him in the BBC film Henry IV in 1995. This film was based on Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1.

Richard II in Videos

Richard II has also been seen in video productions.

• Mattie Osian played him in a straight-to-video film. This film was an adaptation of Shakespeare's Richard the Second (2001).
• David Birney played Richard in an American video in 1982. This video tried to look like an old Elizabethan stage play.