Review: The Globe’s 2019 production of Henry IV: Part 1

Admittedly, I had high expectations for Henry IV: Part 1 and so perhaps for that reason it came up so short for me. We were going to see it at the Globe and we had already watched two extremely excellent Shakespeare productions at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Bridge Theatre. While these factors might have elevated my expectations, I think regardless, the Globe Theatre’s production of Henry IV: Part 1 was objectively subpar.

Changing genders in a play can be an extraordinary way to explore and create entirely new dynamics for characters and their relationships. Unfortunately, this play did none of those things, nor did it in any apparent way even attempt to. The genderbent leads, Prince Hal, Hotspur, and Falstaff were simply played as men. Giving women lead roles traditionally played by men and playing it the same as one might with men cast in the roles isn’t inherently bad, but it’s certainly a missed opportunity as far as doing something more interesting with the roles goes. The leads were not the only characters to be cast as the opposite gender– two others were Mistress Quickly and Glendower’s daughter, otherwise known as the Welsh Lady. Both times, this gender change is only played for laughs rather than anything meaningful for the production. Mistress Quickly was dressed up enough as a woman that the actor appeared feminine, but not so much that the audience would not recognize that the actor was indeed a man in order to spark laughter from the audience, which sort of worked. Later in the play, Mistress Quickly speaks a line about being a true woman with a knowing look at the audience who, of course, knows she is being portrayed by a he. To me, this had negative and dangerous implications. The Welsh woman being portrayed by a man without any attempt to cover the fact the actor playing the role was male was another cheap gag at gender that was not actually very funny at all.

Something else I really disliked about this production was the portrayal of Hotspur and Lady Kate. What makes their relationship interesting to see on stage is their quick-witted, playful jabs at one another and shared passion. Once again, this production did not do any of this. Instead, Lady Kate was simply clingy and desperate for her husband’s love while he had only disdain and mockery to offer her. Nothing about this was enjoyable to watch; instead, it was just a bit sad and made Hotspur come across as less likable.

Another smaller issue I had was with the fact that Hotspur’s uncle was portrayed by a man who looked to be in his early twenties while Hotspur’s actress had to be at the very least in her thirties. The actors in the production were not necessarily bad, but the overall direction they seemed to have been given and the way the play was staged was just not great. While the play could have been serious and made its audience legitimately care about the outcome of a literal war, it relied too heavily on humor, often cheap humor, to entertain and overall was of a much lower quality than what one would expect from a renowned Shakespeare theatre.

Henry viii starts tonight. They’ve asked us not to set fire to the thatch. RUDE. After we brought this cannon and its wadding along specially to celebrate the birth of Princess Elizabeth, too.

Shakespeare’s Globe will mark the 25th anniversary of its rebuild by broadcasting three productions on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer.

These will be: Twelfth Night (2021), featuring current artistic director Michelle Terry; her predecessor Emma Rice’s staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016); and The Duchess of Malfi starring Gemma Arterton (2014).

The broadcasts form part of BBC Four’s new Sunday Night Performances, showcasing some of the best of the UK’s dance, theatre, music and spoken word.

The first BBC Four broadcast will be in the spring, with all transmission dates to be announced.

In a further collaboration, the Globe’s summer season will include CBeebies’ version of As You Like It, which will be live on stage on 9 and 10 August.

Macbeth has now finished. 26,204 students have been taught about the greatest Shakespeare romance and supportive marriage and the benefits of active career ladder climbing.

Charlotte Bate - Cassius
Omar Bynon - Decius / Soothsayer
Anna Crichlow - Brutus
Amie Francis - Calpurnia
Cash Holland - Portia / Murellus
Jack Myers - Caska / Octavius
Samuel Oatley - Mark Anthony
Dickon Tyrrell - Julius Caesar

Assistant Director - Indiana Lown Collins
Choreographer - Asha Jennings-Grant
Composer - Simon Slater
Costume Supervisor - Sian Harris
Designer - Khadija Raza
Director - Diane Page
Dramaturg - Jesse Haughton-Shaw
Fight Director - Rachel Bown-Williams
Fight Director - Ruth Cooper-Brown
Globe Associate, Movement - Glynn MacDonald
Globe Associate, Text - Christine Schmidle
Head of Casting - Becky Paris
Voice - Emma Woodvine

Ralph Davis (as Benedick) and Lucy Phelps (as Beatrice), Peter Bourke (as Conrade and Friar), Rachel Hannah Clarke (as Margaret and Watchman), George Fouracres (as Dogberry), Joanne Howarth (as Antonia and Verges), Olivier Huband (as Don John), Nadi Kemp-Sayfi (as Hero), Ciarán O'Brien (as Boracio and Messenger), Patrick Osborne (as Claudio), Ferdy Roberts (as Don Pedro) and Katy Stephens (as Leonata).

The creative team features designer Joanna Parker, composer Orlando Gough, assistant director and dramaturg Clemmie Reynolds, choreographer Georgina Lamb, costume supervisor Caroline Hughes, fight director Renny Krupinski, head of voice Tess Dignan and text associciate Christine Schmidle.

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