Once we saw the way people responded, we found that we had a certain kind of success. There's something about it that is accessible, without simplifying, and it allows people to identify themselves in the plays and familiar situations and dilemmas without us dumbing down the plays or removing their inherent complexity.
Richard II is about King Richard II's power struggle with his cousin and rival Henry Bolingbroke, as well as outside reactions to the royal family. The characters confront the fragility and temporal nature of power, along with the shifting emotions involved in politics.
Now, Smith Street Stage is expanding to perform indoors with bigger casts, broader technical and design opportunities and to a different audience. Hopkins noted that when performing in the park, people would often stumble onto the plays on the way home from work or exiting the train.
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