SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE (GLOBE THEATRE ON TOUR)
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| Graham Butler as King Henry VI |
What an absolute delight it is to be able to experience a
Globe Theatre production without the trek to London. Malvern Festival Theatre
is home to a band of immensely talented players this week as they present the
three parts of Henry VI over three nights before running the trilogy all day on
Saturday. On Sunday the action moves to the historic battlefield in Tewkesbury
for an open air telling of Shakespeare’s interpretation of this King’s reign.
A towering set provides a suitably bleak platform for the
action that takes place in England and France following the death of King Henry
V. Part 1, entitled Harry The Sixth, sees struggles for power on home turf as
well as across The Channel. While the nobles begin to divide their loyalties
between the house of York and Lancaster, the scheming Bishop of Winchester
(Mike Grady) seizes the opportunity to gain power and influence. The French,
led by Charles The Dauphin (Simon Harrison) are victorious in many recent
battles with the English but take a beating in Orleans. They soon find a new
alley in the form of Joan of Arc (Beatriz Romilly), whose supernatural
influence changes their fortunes until she is eventually captured and France
surrender. Peace loving Henry (Graham Butler), in an effort to unite nations,
agrees to marry the beautiful, Margaret of Anjou (Mary Doherty) and this where
we leave Part 1, with a vibrant celebration.
This is a lavish production, with elegant costumes, much
swashbuckling and a wonderful use of percussion to heighten the experience. All
of the cast are delightfully eloquent and although the more mature cast members
better master vocal strength, everyone’s dialogue is wonderfully clear. Director,
Dominic Dromgoole, has nurtured excellent performances from the entire cast and
the contrast offered between the almost pantomimic baddy of the Bishop and
Monty Python like French knights, alongside the more naturalist characters of
Lord Talbot (Andrew Sheriden) and Richard Plantagenet (Brendan O’Hea) works
perfectly and is probably more true to Shakespeare’s original intentions. Nigel
Hastings, whose stage presence is captivating and engaging, gives a
particularly notable performance in this production.
If you have been enjoying the recent series of The White
Queen, or the accompanying documentary then you will certainly enjoy this,
which is effectively the intriguing prequel. Each play stands on it’s own so it
won’t matter if you missed the first part. Get your tickets now!
