Ralph Fiennes plays Richard III: 'I can add colours to the chameleon' 

"Many lives stand between me and the throne" - Me when there's a queue for the toilet.

"I can smile, and murder while I smile" the bard is timeless

I can't think of any other actor working today who can be so sinister, and yet so charismatic at the same time. The perfect Richard III.

this is genuinely really scary

This gave me goosebumps. Hearing a great actor reciting Shakespeare is like hearing Bach or Mozart. Pure beauty!

thats great Mr.Fiennes, but this is your child support hearing.

Wow, I never thought I’d hear a better Richard III than Ian McKellan, but he manages it. That was legitimately terrifying.

"Tut" is a word that needs to be thrown about more.

I love the "i can add colors to the chameleon" it so well delivered

This performance by fiennes and Damien Lewis's performance as Antony are my two favorites in this series of quick orations. Both are fantastic

It’s easy to make jokes about the fact that he played Voldemort but you watch this performance and it immediately becomes clear why he was hired for the job. It takes someone with this level of craft to make a villain who looks like that have any genuine menace and strike fear within the viewer whilst watching the films. He’s absolutely magnetic.

I’ll make my heaven to dream upon the crown, And, whiles I live, to account this world but hell, Until my mis-shaped trunk that bears this head Be round impaled with a glorious crown. And yet I know not how to get the crown, For many lives stand between me and home: And I,-like one lost in a thorny wood, That rends the thorns and is rent with the thorns, Seeking a way and straying from the way; Not knowing how to find the open air, But toiling desperately to find it out,- Torment myself to catch the English crown: And from that torment I will free myself, Or hew my way out with a bloody axe. Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile, And cry ‘Content’ to that which grieves my heart, And wet my cheeks with artificial tears, And frame my face to all occasions. I’ll drown more sailors than the mermaid shall; I’ll slay more gazers than the basilisk; I’ll play the orator as well as Nestor, Deceive more slily than Ulysses could, And, like a Sinon, take another Troy. I can add colours to the chameleon, Change shapes with Proteus for advantages, And set the murderous Machiavel to school. Can I do this, and cannot get a crown? Tut, were it farther off, I’ll pluck it down.

The way he delivered it I could actually comprehend the words this was brilliant, words that I struggled to fallow in other renditions. This makes so much more sense.

OH MY GOD!! I adore Ralph Fiennes! And as Richard III? Voldemort can't hold a candle to Shakespeare's Richard, for craft, for drive, for duplicity. This wee sip only whets my thirst for more!

That's got to be the coldest line of all time. I can't get it out of my head. What a genius.

Other writers write until they find some poignant line or two, then write a bunch of prosaic stuff around it to vaguely support it. Shakespeare just kept going with the full energy of the line, not just for a few more lines, but often for pages. It's hard to remember to breathe while reading through many sections of his plays, and almost impossible to find a prosaic or uncritical section in any of his work. Even his comedies are full of astounding and timeless wisdom.

Outstanding

Ralph is mesmeric playing Shakespeare. He is a master of voice, verse and character! I saw his Coriolanus over 20 years ago in NY and he was brilliant. The best theatrical performance in 40 years of attending plays along with Derek Jacobi's King Lear.

The last two verses were amazing, perfection and acting at its finest. I cannot believe he delivered the last two verses so.... ah, I am lost for words!!!!

I have rewatched this clip countless times. Everything is perfect: the backdrop, the music, his intonation.

Sir this is a Wendy’s

Saw him performing Richard III live some years back and I’m so glad I did. Honestly, the best live performance I’ve seen.

Richard iii indeed sent Maquiavelli to school since Il Principi was published in 1530s. The sun of York died in 1485...

Who else expected Ralph Fiennes to laugh maniacally as the screen faded to black?

I love how he gives himself a stoop to augment the evil of his words. Perfection.

He is one hell of an actor. Anyone who saw him play Amon Goeth in Schindler's List will attest to that. He gave me a major dose of the creeps when I watched it.

"you ARe an INANIMATE Object!" I loved Fiennes in In Bruges. Mad props

I've watched this several time and it never fails to raise goosebumps. You believe it.

such passionate and wit, Ralph is amazing!

Wow! I am very impressed. He scared the living do do out of me. I did manage a thin smile with Richard at the end, but more with relief than joy.

Powerful. One of the greatest Performers of our time...

The non blinking makes it spookier.

Seeing how young Niccolò was just 16 years old, in Florence at the time of Richard's death, Shakespeare turned out to be right. Richard did, indeed, "set Machiavel to school."

FREAKING BRILLIANT

Ralph Fiennes is a legend

Ralf Fiennes is an amasing actor! I adore him!❤

Now there's someone I want to see in the role. Cumberbatch was hamstrung by unimaginative direction. Fiennes has tremendous reserves of charisma and smooth charm to go with his darker skills.

If I could hang with this guy for one day and ask him one question, it would be, “seriously, spill the beans, how in the hell did you prepare for your roll as Amon Goeth in Schindler’s list?”

Always such an extraordinary actor; and he was gorgeous when he was younger, and I can still see the beauty in his amazing eyes. Those eyes...

Ralph Fiennes is one of the greatest Actors ever to live!

One of the finest actors of our time

Simply Amazing! Ralph Fiennes your a pure talent!

You're a fackin' inanimate object!!

This man... ❤

"Can I do this and can not get a Crown!"

Anyone see his vers of Coriolanus. Not highly praised by the critics but it's really good.

I ADORE HIM.X.

so calm and yet so much threat in it...

Can't WAIT to see this on screen!!

Wow. That gave me chills. England has Shakespeare. The world will never catch up.

Shakespeare was a genius writer of great plays. Just listen to this speech to try to see how great he was at his art. Yes in school you may of doing Shakespeare's plays, but did you hate via peer pressure or from your own mind.

simply Marvelous ! one of the greatest actors ever .

this is mesmerizing. one of the greats of our time.

The dude barely blinks for a minute and a half! That's some fearful, shark eyeballs going on. Great stuff.

The perfect representation of an imperfect representation; as much as Shakespeare has been proven to be entirely wrong about Richard III, Fiennes has proven to be entirely correct for the part.

Seeking a way (and yet straying from the way)

He is so perfect i could listen to him 24/7 ❤️

This is a great actor. A story we know inside out, & yet you watch this brief moment & it's like the whole story is fresh & newly told. Who can watch this & not want to see more, not want to hear the story of this character told in the unique way Ralph Fiennes wishes to tell it. I certainly hope his performance was recorded.

absolutely beautiful performance

Now that’s what I call acting.

Look, I'm sure Mr. Fiennes is a great guy IRL. But let's be honest, the man has a unique abilty to scare me shitless!

what the hell? that was so good it is ridiculous!!

He is amazing

Superb actor!!!

Wow!! What an actor!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE..

I’ll make my heaven to dream upon the crown, And, whiles I live, to account this world but hell, And yet I know not how to get the crown, For many lives stand between me and home: And I,-like one lost in a thorny wood, That rends the thorns and is rent with the thorns, Seeking a way and straying from the way; Not knowing how to find the open air, But toiling desperately to find it out,- Torment myself to catch the English crown: And from that torment I will free myself, Or hew my way out with a bloody axe. Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile, I can add colours to the chameleon, Change shapes with Proteus for advantages, And set the murderous Machiavel to school. Can I do this, and cannot get a crown? Tut, were it farther off, I’ll pluck it down.

i want that background drone playing when i explain to my daughter why she can't have the car tomorrow night.

Not just a great actor, also winner of the 'don't blink' competition 2016.

Shakespeare forever!

I am hypnotized..what an actor

astonishing and great.

This has deeply touched me ever since it came out. I think about it often

Loving the slow build. It's perfect.

God his voice is just fantastic!

i enjoyed the intensity of the reading, and of the musical score that was provided.

Fantastic

I was expecting this speech in Parseltongue.

outstanding!

He does that very well. No fuss or gimics . Simple and powerful.

One of the greatest Actors in whole history! Amazing man!

I'd love to see his full performance if available! Great actor and VERY underrated scene and play too.

I love this man

Terrific.

Always rated Fiennes above his peers and also the next gen, even above DDL.

You sir, are an actor.

He blinked only twice..

Yeah he is perfect for this role

My favorite actor

Genius . Encapsulates the malignant odour of the bards dark words . As a Scot I love Robert Burns but Shakespeare is the boss . Mr Fiennes plays this to perfection .

Electrifying! Wonderful actor!

Awesome!!!!!!!

Wow amazing

Very chilling!

"One can add colors to a chameleon, but fail to take over a high school." - M. Gandhi, 1987

Amazing. Just amazing.

Wow 😳 I love it

Magnificent!!!

I like the way he angled his posture just so, to give you the illusion of the hunched back of Richard III.

Amazing!