Mark Rylance takes to the London stage as Shakespeare’s dastardly monarch, Richard III, in a production first seen at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is determined that he should be crowned King Richard III. After disposing of one king and that king’s son, he has the small matter of two credulous brothers and two helpless nephews to deal with before he can have his way. Woe betide anyone who raises so much as a whisper against him.

Olivier Award winner Rylance plays Shakespeare’s charismatic, self-delighting villain in this all-make production that uses original practices, exploring the clothing, music, dance and settings possible around 1593.

Rylance, who ran Shakespeare’s Globe for a decade and was last seen leading the cast of the multi-award-winning Jerusalem, is joined in Richard III by one of his Jerusalem co-stars, recording artist and actor Johnny Flynn, along with former The History Boys and Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead star Samuel Barnett.