Richard III and the dangers of propaganda

Imagine that the highly esteemed Shakespeare joined us for the 2012
election.

Imagine that years later he wrote a play about a dastardly, tyrannical President Barack Obama who, after lying about his nationality and inflicting his evil, socialist health care plan upon the country, was overthrown by charming and handsome Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Imagine this representation of Obama would be unquestioned and accepted by the masses for centuries afterward.

If you can imagine that, the truth of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” won’t
shock you.

This truth is revealed in IU Department of Theatre and Drama’s production of the apparently slanderous and misrepresentative play.

Director Gavin Cameron-Webb’s interpretation of “Richard III” is a lesson of how susceptible people are to propaganda.

It deconstructs the truth of the play’s text, which portrays the king, Richard III, as an unquestionably evil, murderous and disfigured villain.

On a screen suspended above the three layers of the Wells-Metz Theatre, a “fact check” challenges the audience to consider the truth of what it sees on stage.

The audience learns how little evidence supports the accusations against Richard III.
Facts are periodically question or completely contradict what happens on stage.

We might remember how often things are skewed and falsely represented in the media.

“Richard III” is an extreme example of that.

The king’s wicked nature has been accepted for centuries as a result of the play’s popularity and the playwright’s respectability when, in fact, the play is an inaccurate portrayal.

Shakespeare is a god of a playwright, worshipped by many, and his misrepresentation of the truth concerning Richard III is often considered factual to this day.

Think of the many resources we consult and trust to deliver the truth.

Think of the ever-growing mass of information to which we have access through our ever-improving technological means.

Is it possible that figures like Obama and Romney will be slandered and transformed in history the way Richard III has been?

Is it possible that their legacies will be grossly distorted in the way Richard III’s is in Shakespeare’s play?

It’s a scary possibility.

The overwhelming influence of propaganda has the ability to rewrite history, and the wealth of conflicting information making its rounds through our media outlets often confuses the truth.

The theater department’s excellent and provocative production of “Richard III” reminds Bloomington voters that as Election Day approaches, they should carefully consider their resources’ reliability.

Our many popular talk-show hosts. Our favorite newspapers and magazines. Even “South Park.”

Before “Richard III” opens its first scene, the many allegations both casually and viciously thrown around about our current presidential candidates are played on the “fact check” screen.

Audience members should contemplate the messages to which they are exposed.
These messages might be approved, but are they accurate?

­— ambhendr@indiana.edu