Hollywood star Kevin Spacey has won critical praise for his portrayal of Richard III at London's Old Vic theatre.
The Oscar winner plays Shakespeare's famous villain with his leg in a metal brace, and limps with a walking stick. The production, set in the modern day, reunites Spacey with American Beauty director Sam Mendes.
Guardian theatre critic Michael Billington praised Spacey's "powerful central performance".
"Sam Mendes has come up with a beautifully clear, coherent modern-dress production in which the protagonist becomes an autocratic archetype," he said.
With its contemporary setting, the story draws parallels to dictatorial regimes currently making the headines.
Spacey delivers his opening "winter of discontent" speech alone on stage watching old TV footage, wearing a Christmas cracker party hat.
Mendes directed Spacey in 1999's American Beauty, which gained the star the Oscar for best actor.
The Independent's Paul Taylor described the play as "spine-tingling".
"It's now 12 years since the pair joined forces as actor and director," he said. "Mendes's new, eclectically modern dress production of Richard III demonstrates that it has been worth the wait."
In the programme notes Spacey reveals he has given up drinking and smoking to help him cope with the physical and emotional demands of the role.
Richard III marks the third and final season of the Bridge Project, an initiative that brings together British and American actors in classic theatre productions.
After its Old Vic run the production will embark on an international tour.
Among the celebrities in the first night audience were actor Robert Lindsay, DJ Goldie and singer Gareth Gates.
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