Richard III, Alexandra Palace Theatre

London's newest theatre is also one of its oldest: Alexandra Palace Theatre first opened in 1875 and became a hotspot for drama, opera and dance, entertaining audiences of up to 3,000 each night. But as the West End grew, the theatre at Ally Pally struggled to compete.

Eighty years after it closed to the public, Alexandra Theatre re-opens with a revelatory new version of Richard III. Produced in collaboration with Headlong Theatre company, the show hones in on the vulnerability behind the villain.

Tom Mothersdale (The Glass Menagerie; Cleansed; John) plays the brutally ambitious king, who murders his way to power. As he seduces his brother's widow and imprisons his infant nephews in the Tower of London, Richard will stop at nothing to wear the crown.

But what if all this treachery and violence is motivated by a desire to be loved? With the lion's share of the dialogue and a penchant for speaking directly to the audience, drawing us into his murderous machinations, Richard III is one of Shakespeare's most compelling characters, offer much scope for new interpretations.

Richard III is a co-production between Headlong, Alexandra Palace and Bristol Old Vic with Royal & Derngate, Northampton and Oxford Playhouse.