From the Classroom to the Stage: Richard III at A Noise Within

By Juliet S. ’26

On February 19, Marlborough Theatre students took a field trip to A Noise Within Theatre in Pasadena to see their production of Richard III. The play’s director, Guillermo Cienfuegos, chose to set the story in 1970s England, using punk music and cultural references to enhance Shakespeare’s original story.

Marlborough Theatre loves seeing shows at A Noise Within because they provide an opportunity to do a Q&A with the actors after the show. As students and aspiring actors studying Shakespeare in our classes, it’s exciting to speak with working professionals about their experiences. We loved seeing the creative ways that the ensemble used stage combat, percussion, and choreography to add suspense to violent scenes, while still maintaining safety. It can be difficult to wrap our heads around Shakespearean text as young actors. Shakespeare’s words were meant to be seen on a stage rather than read in a script, so seeing live performances like this one is a great way to contextualize otherwise confusing stories. 

In our Q&A with the cast, I had the opportunity to ask Ann Noble, who played Richard, about her process bringing an original spin to a classic character. Ms. Noble spoke to the importance of learning and performing Shakespeare as an actor, saying, “You need to learn the rules before you can break them.” She explained that only after she had solidified her understanding of Richard’s character and the meter in which his lines are typically performed could she bring in a modern twist. 

Other students asked about why Guillermo Cienfuegos chose to set the story against a 1970s English backdrop. Several actors described the parallels between England’s rise in conservatism and Thatcherism in the 70s to Richard’s violent rise to the throne in the 1400s. Both eras represent moments of struggle in England’s history and political backdrops that have resulted in iconic cultural movements and artifacts. Many students wanted to hear more about the show’s elaborate stage combat sequences, especially members of Marlborough Ensemble Theatre who are working on Witch, a play that incorporates a lot of combat choreography. The cast spoke about getting used to props and sound effects, working hand-in-hand with their robust crew to ensure that the show runs smoothly. 

As actors at a girls’ school, it was refreshing and inspiring to see a female actor in a Shakespearean male lead. Most, if not all, of our productions at Marlborough bend gender constructs in some way or another, and seeing that mirrored in a professional production showed us that we are not limited in the roles we can play professionally. Ms. Noble spoke to the audience about conceptualizing Richard as a person first instead of a man, a process that I related to personally. Having played several men throughout my past six years with Marlborough Theatre, I have had to learn how to build physicality, vocal tone, and backstories for male characters without falling into the trap of stereotypical male behavior. I have found it helpful to approach these characters first by finding similarities with myself, and then using that solid foundation to create a distinct persona. 

We are so grateful to A Noise Within for inviting our school to see their productions, and look forward to continuing to see their productions in the future.