Henry V

William Shakespeare

Henry V

Shakespeare’s masterpiece of the turbulence of war and the arts of peace tells the romantic story of Henry’s campaign to recapture the English possessions in France. But the ambitions of this charismatic king are challenged by a host of vivid characters caught up in the real horrors of war. 3.9 out of 5 based on 5 reviews
Henry V

Omniscore:

Location London
Venue Shakespeare's Globe
Director Dominic Dromgoole
Cast Giles Cooper, Sam Cox, David Hargreaves, Jamie Parker, Olivia Ross, Brid Brennan
From June 2012
Until September 2012
Box Office 020 7401 9919
 

Shakespeare’s masterpiece of the turbulence of war and the arts of peace tells the romantic story of Henry’s campaign to recapture the English possessions in France. But the ambitions of this charismatic king are challenged by a host of vivid characters caught up in the real horrors of war.

Reviews

The Stage

Paul Vale

Jamie Parker’s Henry too demonstrates all the frailty of the human condition, necessarily ruthless yet wracked with doubt. Easily more comfortable expressing a love of England than his love for Olivia Ross’s engaging Katherine, Parker comes full circle here, having played the coltish Prince previously for the company, his Henry is now every inch the King.

14/06/2012

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The Daily Telegraph

Dominic Cavendish

Understanding the Globe’s dynamic, Dominic Dromgoole’s revival, opening the summer season, simply harnesses our imaginations. The costumes are plausible period affairs. There’s some gilded scaffolding. Backcloths bear stylish coats of arms. Conventional, perhaps, but it works a treat, and the pacing is superb, helped by the inspired idea of giving the role of the Chorus to the birdlike Irish actress Brid Brennan – who flits about in the guise of a serving wench, like the slighted spirit of “Her-story”.

14/06/2012

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The Sunday Times

Dominic Cavendish

By the superior second half this has become a feelgood Henry V – celebratory, without ever glorying in nationalism, warfare, damage and death. So well worth seeing, for Parker above all.

15/06/2012

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The Evening Standard

Fiona Mountford

Dromgoole’s intelligent reading ploughs diligently through the lengthy preliminary exposition but truly flares into life for the battle scenes, played hard but fair by an honourable king. Henry has a default setting of crisp efficiency, as if to make up for the lost years in the taverns of Eastcheap, but we’re in no doubt that a very human heart beats beneath this no-nonsense exterior when Parker pauses alone, front stage, to take some deep breaths before embarking for France.

14/06/2012

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The Sunday Times

Maxie Szakwinska

Leans more towards the staunchly heroic than the unsparingly antiheroic, largely because it’s hardly worth watching when Jamie Parker’s Henry isn’t on stage. Happily, he often is.

17/06/2012

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