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Richard II
William Shakespeare
The poetic and indecisive King Richard II is deposed by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke (the future Henry IV). The play is written entirely in verse and examines the divine right of kings and the personal tragedy of a man unfit for the power he holds.
King Richard II, Henry Bolingbroke, John of Gaunt, Duke of York
First Performance: 1595, at Globe Theatre, London
Famously performed at the request of the Earl of Essex's followers on the eve of his rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I.
Original Actors: Unknown
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