Henry 4, Bell Shakespeare March 15, 2013 ***1/2

Henry 4, by William Shakespeare, Bell Shakespeare
Playhouse, Arts Centre, Melbourne, March 15 to 30, 2013
Reviewer: Kate Herbert on March 15 
Stars: ***1/2

Review also published in Herald Sun online on Wed March 20 and in print after that date. KH  

In Henry 4, John Bell merges Shakespeare’s history plays, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, depicting the rise and fall of Henry Bolingbroke (Henry IV), and the accession to the throne of his wayward son, Prince Hal, the future Henry V.

 

Bell merges Shakespeare’s histories, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, depicting the rise and fall of Henry Bolingbroke (Henry IV), and the accession to the throne of his wayward son, Prince Hal, the future Henry V.

Bell’s concept and staging are often inspired, his adaptation of Shakespeare’s text adroit, and his co-direction with Damien Ryan, imaginative.

The first half is the more successful, with its compelling updating of Prince Hal (Matthew Moore) and his dissolute pals – old reprobate Falstaff (John Bell) and other compatriots – who carouse in bars and brothels, their riotous behaviour echoed in the jarring tones of electric guitar and drums.

Hal’s revelry contrasts with the reign of King Henry IV – played with dignified indignation by David Whitney ­– who battles the rebellious, northern army raised by the Percys and led by feisty, young Hotspur, played with belligerent, garrulous bravado by Jason Klarwein.

However, the latter half is less cohesive than the first, and concentrates too heavily on comic characters and rabble-rousing to the detriment of the dramatic scenes in which the dying Henry IV is so diminished by illness.

Both plays rely on a strong triumvirate comprising Prince Hal, his biological father, Henry IV, and his surrogate father and playfellow, Falstaff, leader of a rogues’ gallery of boozers, womanisers and thieves that Prince Hal joins to spite his father.

Bell’s lumbering, bellicose, witty and greedy Falstaff is a highlight, and Bell impeccably balances comedy with pathos as Falstaff falls from grace and his ambition is thwarted.

Prince Hal is a cruel, self-absorbed prankster and a dislikeable youth, a Machiavellian Prince who cocks a snoot at his royal father, but craves his attention as well as his power and his crown.

Although Moore captures young Hal as a precocious, resentful, entitled, Gen Y brat, his portrayal does not credibly forecast the emergence of the charismatic, honey-tongued warrior and future King Henry V.

There is some unevenness in the cast but some capable supporting cast members include: Tony Llewellyn-Jones, Sean O’Shea, Nathan Lovejoy, Terry Bader and Ben Wood.

By Kate Herbert