“Henry IV” – a play by William Shakespeare

Henry IV – a play by William Shakespeare

Until 29th November 2014 www.donmarwarehouse.com

Director, Phyllida Lloyd has a very different take on Shakespeare’s history play which focusses on the themes of kingship, coming of age and honour. For one, in a play that is highly masculine, there is an all female cast and that the cast is housed in the setting of a jail appears to highlight gender inequality and oppression.

This time round the play is condensed into two hours so as to present a “greatest hits” of the two works. Falstaff features strongly and that a woman, can not only play the part convincingly but also with a huge amount of pathos, is great testament to the performance of Ashley McGuire (recently of the NT’s production of Home). The regal Harriet Walker was equally impressive as King Henry. Claire Dunne makes a believable Hal but this theatrical persistence for actors to don different accents – in this case Hal is Irish – is less convincing.

The prison setting, with Donmar staff dressed as guards and culminating with Falstaff’s incarceration, is very powerful. The prison background also serves to present the production as a play within a play – are the inmates simply acting out their version of the bard’s work. The production works on different levels, however Lloyd intended. The theme of gender inequality is cuttingly displayed in the scene between Falstaff and the Mistress Quickly, where the former has made extremely disparaging comments regarding sexual encounters with the lady in question who then, being insulted, runs off stage. Walter, while still playing King Henry, then assumes the role of stage manager and berates Falstaff for including the said line when they had agreed to omit it from the script.

A thought provoking production which links Shakespeare’s original male focussed work with contemporary female issues.