Martin Freeman prepares to play Richard III in the West End (VIDEO)

Sherlock star Martin Freeman makes his debut in Shakespeare's classic play Richard III in London's West End tomorrow.

The actor, who also starred in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit movies, is playing the physically deformed, twisted monarch at London's Trafalgar Studios in Whitehall.

Richard III is, along with Hamlet and Macbeth, considered to be one of Shakespeare's iconic roles, a character who in the aftermath of civil war makes a hateful resolution to claw his way to political power at any cost. But his staunch ambition soon begins to weigh heavy, as the new ruler finds himself utterly alone, forced to answer for his bloody deeds and face the horrifying consequences.

Martin will star alongside BAFTA winner Gina McKee, as Queen Elizabeth.

Watch Martin and the cast talk about this production of Richard III, which opens on Tuesday, July 1:

http://youtube.com/v/E0-_8ZOn16g

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.

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