Henry VI at the Sam Wanamaker

My friend A and I saw the Globe's trinity of Henrys - Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V. last year,so when we saw that the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse next door was ding Henry VI, it seemed like a good plan to go!

Henry VI is 3 separate plays - I've seen the plays once before, in 2013, as 3 separate plays this production is a compressed version of the 2nd and 3rd of the trilogy, so starts with  the arrival of Queen Margaret, and the news that she comes with no dowry, and at the cost of losing provinces in France won by Henry V. Things don't do well, from there...


It's a modern dress production, York appears as a wide-boy type, in a white suit embroidered with white roses, and the others has suitably colour coded and decorated clothes, too. This King himself, Jonathan Broadbent, appears in a hoodie, making him less impressive and memorable in appearance than any of his courtiers, emphasising his passive role.

Cast photo (photo from Globe theatre) 

Later in the play, once the battles started, characters wore sports kit in red or white, emblazoned with their names (and in some cases, regnal numbers) - a costuming choice which  does help to allow the audience to keep the characters and their allegiances straight, but at the same time does downplay the serious nature of the conflicts.

I particularly enjoyed Sarah Amakwah's performance as the strutting,  prickly Edward, and John Lightbody as Gloucester.

However, over all I felt the play was a bit patchy - it dragged in places and felt rushed in others - perhaps as a result of the cuts and merging of the 2 plays.

I am glad to have seen it, but don't regret my decision not to also book for RIchard III, which is part of the same season

Henry IV and V, at Shakespeare's Globe

Months ago, my friend A suggested that we see the Globe Theatre's trilogy of History plays - Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II and Henry V. They are all on as part of the Globe's summer season, and if one is particularly keen or, some might suggest, masochistic, one can book to see all 3 plays in a day, with the first at noon, the second at 4 and the third at 8, meaning one spends around 7 hours in total sitting on the Globe's rather unforgiving wooden benches! 

The cast is relatively small  - 11 people for Henry IV Part 1, and 10 for Part 2 and Henry V, so most play more than one role. 

Henry IV Pt 1 was excellent  - Michelle Terry, who is the Globe's Artistic Director, played Hotspur (see amazing photo here ) and hers was a stand-out performance - her Hotspur was wonderfully angry, fiery, vibrant and funny, and her scenes, both with Hal (Sarah Amankwah) and with The Douglas (Nina Bowers) were highlights of the evening, and her scenes with Lady Percy (Leaphia Darko) were poignant, as Hotspur ignores her love and concern.

Pt 2 was a little less fun - partly as it isn't (in my view) as strong a play as either of the others, plus it has an awful lot of Falstaff in it, and for me, a little Falstaff goes a very long way! And in this case, I was still missing Hotspur!  

Then, that evening, we returned for Henry V.The flags of all the factions had been taken down, and replaced with the royal standard, 

And we were off to Agincourt!

I always enjoy Henry V, and this time was no exception. Sarah Amankwah was excellent - although her 'Upon the King' soliloquy was much angrier and less pensive than in many productions. 

Colin Hurley is not the obvious choice for Katherine, being a balding, middle aged man, but the casting worked surprisingly well, and he seemed to be having a lot of fun with the role (including giving Michelle Terry, who had joined the groundlings to watch this performance, a Very Hard Stare when she kicked a plastic cup someone had dropped, during  a quiet moment in the wooing scene...!)

I enjoyed all three plays, and seeing them all in one day was a really good experience.And I did enjoy how much of the humour (as opposed to the often rather laboured jokes) came through.

I think if I were only able to see one, I  would pick Henry IV Pt 1.

The plays are on as part of the Globe's season until 11th October .