Star of The Hobbit and Sherlock, Martin Freeman stars as Shakespeare’s treacherous monarch in this new production of Richard III directed by Jamie Lloyd.

Shakespeare’s history play follows the rise and fall of the famous hunchback monarch who uses Machiavellian guile and a casual disregard for murder to manoeuvre his way to the throne only to find that in the end his plotting, charm and luck is not enough.

Freeman rose to fame in hit British sitcom The Office before finding greater acclaim in detective reboot Sherlock and fantasy film franchise The Hobbit. On stage, his credits include Clybourne Park, kosher Harry and Blue Eyes And Heels.

Freeman’s co-star Gina McKee received an Olivier Award nomination for her last Shakespearean outing, playing Goneril opposite Derek Jacobi’s King Lear, but may be best known for her screen appearances in Notting Hill, Our Friends In The North and Wonderland.

This production is the first in the second Trafalgar Transformed season at the Trafalgar Studio 1. The first season, created by director Lloyd, features James McAvoy in Macbeth, Simon Russell Beale and John Simm in The Hothouse and Hayley Atwell in The Pride.