One of the other thrilling aspects of the King and Country cycle for me was watching all the hard work and dedication of the ensemble come together. Here as Queen Isobel with Simon Thorp & Alex Hassell.
So many of these moments resonated much more when seeing the whole story told as one. Then of course there are the recurring references to the death of Richard, with Henry V still trying to atone for his father’s earlier actions years later. It’s also lovely to bookend the cycle with Jane Lapotaire on the stage – at the start in mourning, all in black and at the end as Queen Isobel in a light grey gown in happier times. It seems to emphasise the spirit of Harry Percy having Needham in that role. Some of the casting choices also resulted in wonderful imagery, such as Matthew Needham in Henry IV Part II playing Mowbray, who is standing next to the Archbishop of York as he reflects on the death of their brave Hotspur. Then there is the simple image of each new king seated on the same throne, which when watched in so short a space of time highlights the transient nature of the crown during this period in our history. One example that stood out for me was when Falstaff and Shadow in Henry IV mirrored the image of Bolingbroke and Richard holding either side of the crown. The use of imagery across the cycle is also very clever, with the audience spotting echoes of earlier moments in the history in later plays.
This powerful image from Richard II is mirrored later in Henry IV. In the case of Aumerle (who became the Duke of York on the death of his father), he disappears from the story, but the moment the Duke of Exeter describes his death on the battlefield at Agincourt in Henry V has an extra level of poignancy when only two days before you saw the tragic arc of his character in Richard II. The political intrigues and manoeuvres are more obvious and easier to follow you see Northumberland aid Bolingbroke, Richard predict how he will later turn against his new king, only for this to occur in Henry IV and with Sean Chapman in the role across all the plays, the character had a depth to him which would not have been as evident to the audience on viewing just one instalment.Ĭharacters you have heard referred to in one play appear later, making your understanding of their role in the larger picture so much clearer, for example Worcester, who we hear Harry Percy speak of in Richard II and then meet in Henry IV as he takes his place in rebellion with his nephew. The development of characters was more profound, particularly Bolingbroke through to King Henry IV and his son Prince Hal, who grows so much to become the King he is by the end of Henry V. Alex Hassell as Prince Hal, whose development is so much clearer during the cycle experience. This unique way of watching these plays was thrilling, as the pieces slotted together and the wider picture became clear. Although each works as a standalone, seeing them performed as one, with the same actors, set and wonderful musicians added so much more to the viewing experience, perhaps more than I anticipated. The King and Country cycle gave audiences the opportunity to delve deeper in to the fabric of four of Shakespeare’s Histories, by seeing them back to back over three days. The beginning of the cycle at Gloucester’s funeral in Richard II. Although this was the culmination of the London run, I couldn’t ignore such an achievement on this blog and have reviewed both Henry IV and Henry V separately to accompany this reflection on the spectacle as a whole. Last weekend saw me back at the Barbican to enjoy the final cycle of the RSC’s tetralogy of History plays, which began life in October 2013 with Richard II. My Oscars 2021 Debri… on Oscars 2021 – My Pr… My Oscars 2021 Debri… on Film Review – Promising… Vickster51 on A Suits Locations Adventure (i… Television Review… on Television Preview – Suc… Follow me on Twitter My Tweets Blogs I Follow
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