I read the play first (for school), then Tey (also for school - I was the one who got the report on "Richard III: Historical background in comparison to the play" to do!), and I have to say, many fandoms with their multiverses were extremely helpful to me in mentally dividing the two. Not so much with non-Shakespeare takes on the era, there I bicker and complain, but the universe of the Histories (and their wild timeline!) is so clearly not ours that I can enjoy it on its own merit. And Shakespeare's Richard is one of the most popular villain roles for actors to do for a reason.