Monarchs and counsellors. Idealism and cunning. Loyalty and deception. Such are the intrigues of kingship and power. Richard II, once innocent boy king, has claimed control from his former counsellors but a series of poor decisions threaten his hold on the throne. As the courtiers face their individual challenges, our sympathies are pulled in multiple directions. The first play in Bard's 3-year THE KINGS History Cycle, Richard II will be rooted in the medieval period but stylized with modern overtones.