From the first performance of Shakespeare’s “Henry V” around 1599, it’s become one of his most popular plays with the English-speaking public. It remains so in modern Britain for good reason. The drama glorifies England’s military power and celebrates its triumph over France at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. It’s being presented at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in a vibrant and exciting production with a non-traditional cast.
The Plot
The play opens as Henry IV is dying. He’s transferring the English crown to his son Harry. It helps to know the background of this father-son relationship, which is chronicled in Shakespeare’s previous play “Henry IV.” In that work, we see that the young man, Harry, known as Prince Hal, is a total disappointment to his father. He’s a wild, wasteful, and libertine youth who spends his days and nights hanging around taverns. There, he drinks and squanders his time with a group of reprobates, the most famous of whom is Sir John Falstaff, the fat knight.But once King Henry IV dies, Prince Hal—now King Henry V—transforms. He becomes a determined and responsible king who would have made his father proud. Indeed, he feels that he has to prove to himself and his subjects that he’s up to the task of kingship. This may a reason that he decides to conquer France, but rest assured—he finds other reasons to do so as well.
Henry V believes he has a legal right to claim the French throne. Another reason to go to war with England’s long-time enemy occurs when the French Dauphin—the French king’s son—sends him an insulting gift.
Although the French troops outnumber the English five to one, Henry isn’t deterred by the impossible odds. The night before the Battle of Agincourt, Henry rallies his fearful and exhausted army with the promise of fame and fortune. It’s the famous St. Crispin’s Day speech, made on the feast day of Christian twin saints, Crispin and Crispinian, who were martyred.
The Production
Director Edward Hall pulls out all the stops. With some non-traditional and gender fluid casting, his visually postmodern production creates a visceral warlike atmosphere, complete with military flags and a camouflage netting backdrop, provided by set designer Michael Pavelka. Pavelka also delivers costumes that have actors sporting black leather and battle-fatigue military dress. Added to that are battle-cry sound effects by Emily Hayman, original music of folk and pop tunes by Jonathan Trenchard, and bursts of dazzling lighting effects by Marcus Doshi.
Those artistic talents contribute a palpable ambience of violence for the play’s warlike physical action. But the best scenes are more serene: when King Henry (Elijah Jones) woos the youngest daughter, Katherine (Courtney Rikki Green) of French King Charles VI (Sean Fortunato).
It takes Henry a bit of persuasion to get Katherine to agree to marry him. After all, she wonders “Is it possible dat I should love de enemy of France?” She wonders if the language barrier between the two won’t make marriage difficult.
In the most humorous moment of the play, as she tries to learn English, Katherine finally relents. It’s a hoot watching her try to pronounce the foreign English tongue, and the extraordinary Kate Fry is hilarious as young Katherine’s lady-in-waiting, who explains the strange pronunciation of a new language.
If “Henry V” was merely a play about war and conquest, it would be sufficient to captivate an audience like many other plays and movies do. But like all of Shakespeare’s works, “Henry V” is also a study of character and human nature. At its core, it’s about how hard times can bring out the best in a man, and how standing up for one’s fellow countrymen during difficulties binds them together. That’s why “Henry V” is special, and why it speaks to all nations and all peoples to this day.
