If I Live Until I Be A Man is a playful reimagining of the lives of the famous two princes, locked in a tower by Richard III as he took the crown from Edward V – the rightful heir to the throne. The final months of the two brothers’ lives is played out as they await their uncertain fate, slowly realising that their uncle has deposed them, and taken their hopes of coronation and kingship.
The play’s only characters are the two princes, and it’s only setting is the single room in the tower in which they are thought to have been held. In their confinement, the relationship between the brothers pivots on brotherly love and rivalry, childhood innocence, and their ideas of royalty, as one believes steadfastly in his destiny as King, resisting his brother’s doubtfulness until the truth is made clear.
As such a well-known and debated historic affair, the dramatic irony of the play is a powerful force. The eldest brother’s rigid trust in their uncle Richard is humorous and childishly stubborn, thanks to the audience’s knowledge of what is to come, and it is an effective way of bringing a level of humanity to characters that are more often thought about historically and academically than personally.
What makes the play interesting is the blend between historical and modern ideas of childhood, as the dialogue shifts every few lines between Shakespearean English and present-day colloquialisms. As such, the audience easily relates to the two brothers, seeing reflections of our own childhood relationships in theirs, without sacrificing the historic tone of the story or its value as a reimagining of a historic event. The production is playfully anachronistic as the brothers play games like “State Funeral” and “Crowned King”, but wield Nerf guns while doing so, and converse much like modern children.
If I Live Until I Be A Man is original and witty, and the actors bring all the energy and imagination of youth, with moments of real tenderness between the characters. It might not be the right recommendation for those not interested in history, but for those who are, it is an entertaining watch.
If I Live I Live Until I Be A Man is running until from 19-24 August at theSpace on the Mile – Space 2.
Buy tickets here.
Images by David Grant provided to The Student for press use.