Any one of the plays that make up The Wars of the Roses, combined with this director – former RSC and Royal National Theatre artistic director, sir Trevor Nunn– and this cast would be feted on most stages in the country, that they chose Kingston speaks volumes of the Rose’s reputation.

This is the first time Shakespeare’s plays have been configured into this trio of Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III since its original run in 1963, under the stewardship of Peter Hall and John Barton.

Latterly it has been described by some as Shakespeare’s Game of Thrones and, if the final part third is anything to go by, it was a fine choice to bring it back to the stage.

Everyone knows that the most satisfying part of a trilogy is the last and Richard III is a wildly satisfying finale.

When we meet Richard here – a deformed Duke of Gloucester, brother to the king – he tells us up front: ‘since I cannot prove a lover...I am determined to prove a villain’.

And prove it he does, scheming his way to the throne through dodgy deals, deception and murder.

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Picture by Mark Douet

In the titular role, young BAFTA-nominated actor Robert Sheehan shows why he is a star in the ascendancy and increasingly in demand in the movies. He gives a virtuoso performance that is utterly magnetic, with no-one coming close to stealing a scene that he’s in.

Which is not to say that the rest of a fine cast are phoning it in. Far from it, the cast of Richard III is uniformly excellent, and it is particularly admirable considering this is only a third of their workload.

Rufus Hound as Rivers, Alexandra Gilbreath as Queen Elizabeth and Alexander Hanson as Buckingham are stand-out performers.

Joely Richardson plays a relatively minor part in this instalment as widowed Queen Margaret but still manages to show why she’s such a star.

Richard III is a tale of treachery and its telling is lifted by a liberal splash of black humour and it’s credit to Trevor Nunn that it is flawlessly executed.

James Simmons and Laurence Spellman, as the mercenaries sent to murder Michael Xavier’s Clarence, are a priceless pairing lending levity to the first act.

The staging, the actors and the director, terrific as they all are, of course have some A-grade material to work with here.

It is for greater people than I to discuss old Bill Shakespeare’s merits but this adaptation really works and Richard is as an iconic a villain as any we’ve seen in the nearly 400 years since Shakespeare committed him to the stage.

So exquisite is the script that you’ll nod in recognition to the bits you’ve heard people say – ‘My kingdom for a horse’, ‘Now is the winter of our discontent’ – and you’ll also marvel at nearly every line besides.

It is theatre that draws you to the edge of your seat and leaves you wide eyed and open mouthed. I’d take it over Game of Thrones any day.

The Wars of the Roses is at The Rose Theatre, Kingston, until October 31. Tickets cost from £5. Go to rosetheatrekingston.org or call 020 81740090.

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