HENRY IV PARTS 1 AND 2: till 8 March 2008
HENRY IV PARTS 1 AND 2: William Shakespeare.
RSC: Courtyard.
Runs: Part 1 3h 10m, part 2 3h 5m, both one interval; till Saturday 8 March 2008.
Review: Rod Dungate 17 August 2007.
The RSC doing what it does best – best.
Richard II examines the rights and wrongs of Bolingbroke’s seizing the throne from Richard; it does it through the shifting emotions and relationships of the people involved. The two parts of Henry IV explore Henry’s troubled reign – a King who cannot achieve the peace he aspires to. But the two-part history is only part history; we centre around the maturing into majesty of Prince Henry (to become Henry V), the relationship between father and son, and also the relationship between the Prince and Sir John Falstaff. And herein lies the problem.
Sir John is a towering creation. Sir John may be part of the lifestyle that young Henry must reject in order to achieve majesty (the right to rule?), Sir John may be the antithesis of Hotspur (springboard for the play’s plot) but what Sir John definitely is, is a full-blown character. He’s funny, disreputable, a scoundrel and a liar – but we still like him. Shakespeare, himself, must have been fascinated by his creation – he humiliates him in IV Part 2 and kills him off in V. But gives him a whole play of his own in between – and I’m not going to mention the tale about Q Elizabeth blah blah blah.
I mention all this because having seen Richard II, the Henry IVs feel less satisfying. They lack the coherence of Richard II; we are not quite sure where we should be looking. Not the fault of the directors; the productions are clear, vigorous and engaging. Once again, the company has a host of excellent performances.
Henry IV is reaching the end of his life as the plays open. He is surrounded by rebellion. Clive Wood’s portrayal of the King’s gradual aging, his increasing weakness is superb; he loses his strength but never his authority – it’s truly touching.
I love David Warner’s Falstaff. He brings a careless cynicism to his performance that’s entirely in tune with our age. He has a likeable ease and an easeful ready wit. How chilling to hear him speak of honour: ‘What is honour? A word? What is that word honour? Air?’ Wherever we stand, we can’t deny he’s got a point. I suspect Warner’s performance- will grow and grow . . .
Geoffrey Streatfeild, as yet, doesn’t fully inhabit the Prince; early he is too tricksy-laddish; easy short-cut performance. But he grows as he moves into the plays and his final scenes, first with his dying father, later with the Chief Justice (another excellent performance from Richard Cordery) are dramatic high-spots.
Eastcheap is marvellously created, a terrific Maureen Beattie here (Mistress Quickly). And don’t miss Chris McGill’s endearing Francis.
Gloucestershire holds its head up well. Geoffrey Freshwater’s well spoken Shallow is great fun ably partnered by the disapproving Silence of Sandy Neilson. And again, don’t miss this eager-as-a-beaver servant, Davy (Matt Costain.)
King Henry IV: Clive Wood.
Prince Henry: Geoffrey Streatfeild.
Prince John: Chris McGill.
Humphrey duke of Gloucester: Luke Neal.
Thomas Duke of Clarence: Antony Shuster.
Earl of Westmoreland: Tom Hodgkins.
Sir Walter Blunt: Miles Richardson.
Earl of Warwick: Patrice Naiambana.
Lord Chief Justice: Richard Cordery.
His Servant: Luke Neal.
Gower: Paul Hamilton.
Earl of Northumberland: Keith Bartlett.
Lady Northumberland: Katy Stephens.
Hotspur: Lex Shrapnel.
Lady Percy: Ann Ogbomo.
Earl of Worcester: John Mackay.
Edmund Mortimer: Keith Dunphy.
Owen Glendower: Roger Watkins.
Lady Mortimer: Sianed Jones.
Earl of Douglas: Paul Hamilton.
Sir Richard Vernon: Luke Neal.
Archbishop of York: Antony Bunsee.
Lord Ross: Rob Carroll.
Lord Sackville: Miles Richardson.
Lord Mowbray: Keith Dunphy.
Lord Hastings: James Tucker.
Travers: Paul Hamilton.
Sir John Colville: Chuk Iwuji
Rumour: Forbes Masson.
Ghost of Richard II: Jonathan Slinger.
Sir John Falstaff: David Warner.
Ned Poins: Kieran Hill.
Mistress Quickly: Maureen Beattie.
Bardolph: Julius D’Silva.
Peto: Wela Frasier.
Pistol: Nicholas Asbury.
Cutter: Matt Costain.
Francis: Chris McGill.
Doll Tearsheet: Alexia Healy.
Vintner: Geoffrey Freshwater.
Fang: Rob Carroll.
Snare: Matt Costain.
Drawer: Hannah Barrie.
Ralph: Anthony Shuster.
Chamberlain: Rob Carroll.
Carriers: Geoffrey Freshwater, Roger Watkins.
Tom: Anthony Shuster.
Ostler: Alexia Healy.
Justice Shallow: Geoffrey Freshwater.
Justice Silence: Sandy Neilson.
Davy: Matt Costain.
Ralph Mouldy: Paul Hamilton.
Thomas Wart: Rob Carroll.
Francis Feeble: Katy Stephens.
Peter Bullcalf: Luke Neal.
Simon Shadow: Anthony Shuster.
Part 1 Directed by: Roger Boyd (Associate Director, Part 2).
Part 2 Directed by: Richard Twyman (Associate Director, Part 1).
Set Designed by: Tom Piper.
Costumes Designed by: Emma Williams.
Lighting Designed by: Heather Carson.
Music Composed by: James Jones and John Woolf
Movement by: Liz Ranken.
sound Designed by: Andrea J Cox
Fights by: Terry King.
Assistant Director: Donnacadh O’Briain.
Director of Ropework: Matt Costain.
Company Voice Work by: Alison Bomber.
2007-08-17 13:09:15