Review: Henry V (Parts One and Two)

It is my belief that there are two kinds of Shakespeare audiences: those who want to see a new take on an old play and those who spend the performance wishing they were in the Globe amongst the rabble watching the play unfold for the first time. The RSC’s touring production most certainly catered to the latter type with a true to form production of Henry IV Parts One and Two.

As one of the lesser studied history plays, it is always a good idea to find out the plot beforehand; unless you are fluent in Shakespearian, the language and plot are equally hard to follow. Part 1 of Henry IV juxtaposes between two different lives, with the young prince Hal (Alex Hassell) drinking his life away and enjoying his youth, supported by his best friend Falstaff (Anthony Sher). Whilst his father Henry IV (Jasper Britton) is preparing to defend his crown against the rising rebels led by the aptly nicknamed Hotspur (Trevor White), and concludes with the death of Hotspur at the hand Prince Hal who has grown into a man worthy of his title. Part Two focuses on Falstaff, and takes a very sombre tone. Partly through miscommunication and partly through deliberate deception, the plot concludes with King Henry V disowning his former dissolute life and the heart-wrenching banishment of Falstaff.

The overall staging was seamless and very clever, using traditional Globe styling, combined with modern day trappings gave Stephen Brimsom Lewis’ design a unique and versatile edge. The modern-day technology enhanced the almost minimalist set in order to create the world of Hal and Falstaff and the King in front of our very eyes. The decision to change the original traverse production into a proscenium arch setting was disappointing. Little moments such as the fight at the end of Part One would have been much more engaging if the audience was included within the action, made possible by the original use of staging and it is to be hoped that they reincorporate the original setting when they move to the Barbican later this month.

As expected, the acting from the RSC was strong, coherent and to put it simply, classical. There was none of this new Shakespearian acting, of the type where each line is spoken slowly enough that the audience can understand at the expense of the iambic pentameter and Shakespeare’s original linguistic devices. 

Many in the audience came to witness one particular actor at work, and probably would have bought a ticket if it was Hamlet, Othello or just a puppet show, which truly says something about the clientele at the Marlowe Theatre. However Anthony Sher’s performance was fabled, fantastic and ultimately fallacious, bringing Falstaff to life and although Sher undoubtedly had the longest amount of stage time, he was in no way the star of the show. Throughout Part One, his accent was unintelligible and whilst his characterisation of the drunkenly growling Falstaff was spot on, there is a fine line between being brilliantly drunk and being drunkenly incomprehensible. Within a performance relying on vocal projection instead of microphones, Shers words were rather lost amongst the grunting and slurring leaving the audience wishing he would tone it down, if only just a tad.

The show’s real stars were lesser loved actors and Jasper Britton as King Henry IV was outstanding. In just one scene he managed to do what Sher had been attempting from the start. He captured the audience’s attention, and their hearts, and did not let them go. Considering that the plays are named after him, Henry IV has very few moments on stage but the few he had were phenomenal. His dying speech was delivered with so much passion and pain that the audience found themselves shrouded in complete silence for the first time in the production. Britton transformed in front of our eyes from the level-headed, strong-willed politician and king to a helpless soul, worried for his son and desperate for the confirmation of his love and his ability to be a great heir.

As for the young Prince? He goes from vanity to valiance whilst his audience delight in his transformation from petty thief and a frequent visitor to whore houses into a princely knight commanding the battlefield and fighting for his future crown. From under the prostitutes’ covers emerges Alex Hassell, capturing the audience from the word go with his cheerful juvenility and sordid ways. Hassell has every woman in the audience sighing whilst the male population grinned, wishing themselves on the stage and into his role. Hassell took on the challenging and diverse role with all the wit and skill required to bring Prince Hal to life in front of our very eyes.

After their week-long run at The Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, the RSC returns home to The Barbican with a lengthy run from 29 November 2014 – 24 January 2015. Book tickets if you can and then sit in wonder as the world of Shakespeare’s Henry IV unfolds around you.