Bridgerton star brings new version of Shakespeare's Richard III to Liverpool

Video report by Victoria Grimes

A Bridgerton star says her version of Shakespeare's Richard III focuses on what happens when someone punches up after being punched down on their whole life.

Film, television and theatre actor Adjoa Andoh - who plays Lady Danbury in the Netflix series - wanted to explore how people are "demonised" for what they look like.

She plays Richard, as well as directing the play, at Liverpool's Playhouse.

"In Shakespeare's original, Richard is the man - with a differently-abled body - who is demonised and maligned because of what he looks like," she told ITV News.

"I was really interested in the notion of that and how we do that to people who don't look like us.

"What happens when that punched-down person, punches up?"

Andoh, whose version of Richard II gained acclaim at Shakespeare's Globe, wants to open up the playwright's work to an audience who may otherwise feel "put off."

"I hope it's a good night out. An entertaining night out," she said.

"What I don't want it to be is a show where people feel intimidated because it's Shakespeare.

"Lots of us get put off because we study it at school and we read round the class."

The actor, known for roles in a numerous TV shows including Casualty and Doctor Who, is performing at the Playhouse until 22 April.

She noted that it was "Ken Dodd's favourite theatre - an old variety theatre."

Andoh hopes to fill it with "the things variety is good at: entertainment, excitement, thrills and spills."