Henry IV (parts 1 and 2)
May. 18th, 2014 08:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbitYes, that is Ben Whishaw as Richard II, but it's either him or the penguin.
I went to Stratford-upon-Avon yesterday, to see both parts of Henry IV. I had debated about the wisdom of seeing both parts on the same day, but my friend D, who I was going with, said it would be easier for her if we did it in a day, so we did.
I arrived before D, so decided to look at one of the current exhibitions. This one was on some of the props and quite informative, but not as good as perhaps I'd hoped. There weren't many props on show, but each one was in a plastic tray. The idea was that you took the tray to a table in the middle and then on the space next to the tray various things to do with that particular prop were illuminated, whilst the voice of the person who'd made the prop told you something about it. Which was quite good, but required a reasonable level of interest in a particular prop, otherwise there was a couple of sentences by each item, for very quick browsing. And obviously only one person could look at something at a time. I tried a couple of things out, and there were very few people around, so that was fine, but it wouldn't be something I'd recommend.
They still have a selection of costumes on display around the building. This time I didn't stroke Sam Troughton's Brutus costume. Hmm, maybe I should use that icon instead ...
And so onto Part 1. It was totally absorbing. Alex Hassell, as Prince Hal, was completely engaging from the beginning. Antony Sher, for me, struck exactly the right balance for Falstaff - not just a clown, but equally not so overwhelming to make me dislike him. Hal made it clear that he knew exactly what he was doing and that he knew that at some point he would be changing. Trevor Percy, as Hotspur, was very hotheaded, so much that whilst fun to watch it did make me question just how good a military leader he was. And the fight scene was brilliant; really well choreographed.
We had a three hour break between the two parts, long enough to rush to the hotel, book in, come back and eat and consume a bottle of wine between the two of us.
Part 2 begins shortly after Part 1 ends. There is no need to learn all the characters, because they are the same as earlier. As is normal for me, telling the various minor nobles apart (minor in the sense of their parts in the play) is practically impossible, so knowing whose side they are on is dependent on who they are with. Falstaff continues on his way to his eventual downfall, oblivious and by the end self-deluding.
I first saw Henry IV at the Globe, again both parts in one day, with Jamie Parker as Hal and Roger Allam as a hilarious Falstaff. I've been trying to decide why I prefer Antony Sher's performance. Obviously, seeing it again I know what's happening, but in the Globe production I was glad when Falstaff was arrested. This time I felt more sympathy for him and also felt that the final confrontation between Hal and Falstaff followed on from what had happened before, whereas the Globe version seemed much more abrupt.
At the curtain call all the actors seemed very happy and Antony Sher practically bounced out, which was lovely to see. And as for our decision to see both parts on one day - without doubt it was the right one. Yes, it was tiring, but it felt so right, picking up the story for part 2 as it flowed through from part 1.
I went to Stratford-upon-Avon yesterday, to see both parts of Henry IV. I had debated about the wisdom of seeing both parts on the same day, but my friend D, who I was going with, said it would be easier for her if we did it in a day, so we did.
I arrived before D, so decided to look at one of the current exhibitions. This one was on some of the props and quite informative, but not as good as perhaps I'd hoped. There weren't many props on show, but each one was in a plastic tray. The idea was that you took the tray to a table in the middle and then on the space next to the tray various things to do with that particular prop were illuminated, whilst the voice of the person who'd made the prop told you something about it. Which was quite good, but required a reasonable level of interest in a particular prop, otherwise there was a couple of sentences by each item, for very quick browsing. And obviously only one person could look at something at a time. I tried a couple of things out, and there were very few people around, so that was fine, but it wouldn't be something I'd recommend.
They still have a selection of costumes on display around the building. This time I didn't stroke Sam Troughton's Brutus costume. Hmm, maybe I should use that icon instead ...
And so onto Part 1. It was totally absorbing. Alex Hassell, as Prince Hal, was completely engaging from the beginning. Antony Sher, for me, struck exactly the right balance for Falstaff - not just a clown, but equally not so overwhelming to make me dislike him. Hal made it clear that he knew exactly what he was doing and that he knew that at some point he would be changing. Trevor Percy, as Hotspur, was very hotheaded, so much that whilst fun to watch it did make me question just how good a military leader he was. And the fight scene was brilliant; really well choreographed.
We had a three hour break between the two parts, long enough to rush to the hotel, book in, come back and eat and consume a bottle of wine between the two of us.
Part 2 begins shortly after Part 1 ends. There is no need to learn all the characters, because they are the same as earlier. As is normal for me, telling the various minor nobles apart (minor in the sense of their parts in the play) is practically impossible, so knowing whose side they are on is dependent on who they are with. Falstaff continues on his way to his eventual downfall, oblivious and by the end self-deluding.
I first saw Henry IV at the Globe, again both parts in one day, with Jamie Parker as Hal and Roger Allam as a hilarious Falstaff. I've been trying to decide why I prefer Antony Sher's performance. Obviously, seeing it again I know what's happening, but in the Globe production I was glad when Falstaff was arrested. This time I felt more sympathy for him and also felt that the final confrontation between Hal and Falstaff followed on from what had happened before, whereas the Globe version seemed much more abrupt.
At the curtain call all the actors seemed very happy and Antony Sher practically bounced out, which was lovely to see. And as for our decision to see both parts on one day - without doubt it was the right one. Yes, it was tiring, but it felt so right, picking up the story for part 2 as it flowed through from part 1.
