Shakespearean landmark

Michael Boyd's History Cycle is a tremendous achievement, a landmark in the Royal Shakespeare Company's own history.

The four plays trace the ruthless struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster for the English throne. The stage is littered with bloody corpses and severed heads.

Nobody would want to see the three parts of Henry VI on their own, but, seen together on one day, they have a terrific impact.

And when they are acted, as they are here, as part of an eight-play history cycle beginning with Richard II and ending with Richard III, they have a special appeal for anybody interested in Shakespeare's works.

Part One, which was immensely popular in Shakespeare's day and is the least accessible of the trilogy, proves very accessible in Boyd's fast-moving production, which uses ladders, ropes, trapezes and an athletic cast to exciting effect in the battle scenes.

The play is dominated by Keith Bartlett's performance as Lord Talbot, the brave and gallant soldier whose heroism and chivalry symbolises all that was admirable in England before the Wars of the Roses began. 

Part Two is usually considered the best play in the trilogy, but the scenes with Jack Cade, in particular, are played for so much farce that it is difficult to take either him or his rebellious commedia dell'arte followers seriously.

Margaret of Anjou (Katy Stephens), who marries Henry, is one of the great roles for women in Shakespeare. Wanton, obdurate and remorseless, she has a memorable scene when she taunts the Duke of York, a serious contender for the throne, with a napkin soaked in the blood of his dead son and forces him to wear a paper crown.

Richard Cordery as the Lord Protector towers physically and morally above everybody else.

Part Three has the best poetry in the trilogy and is worth seeing for its introduction to the future Richard III, the ultimate virtuoso villain.

It is a bit odd to find that the final play in an eight-play cycle should suddenly be acted in modern dress with all the male characters in dark suits. 

Jonathan Slinger's Richard, an ugly psychopath with a distinctive lolloping limp, has his own theme tune. A drum beats whenever he appears and he rocks back and forth to its beat.

The performance - as with all Slinger's - is absolutely riveting, but it is definitely not a good idea for him to play out the nightmare before the Battle of Bosworth in his underpants.

The ideal thing to do would be to see the whole cycle, but, if you don't fancy that, do see Slinger's remarkable transformation from Richard II to Richard III. These two performances are a major turning point in his career.

Plays until May 25. Box office: 0844-482-8008.