Henry V is one of those history plays that seems loaded with back-story and exposition. Briefly, party-boy Hal leaves his pals behind when he becomes King Henry.
Henry believes England has a legitimate claim to rule France. He first checks with the Archbishop of Canterbury to see how he stands legally. Canterbury approves. The dauphin of France does not agree, and a battle follows.
Henry and his small, ragged army are not really much of match, especially on foreign land. But he does manage to take a small but strategic village, Harfleur, which, along with some pretty stirring speeches, fires up Henry’s army. This leads to victory for Henry. In the epilogue, Henry falls in love with and marries the dauphin’s daughter, Katherine.
There is a good deal more in Henry V. There are Hal’s drunken pals and tennis balls. There are some elegant and rousing speeches. And there is killing; lots of killing. It is Shakespeare, after all.
Ghost Light Players' production is a surprisingly engaging introduction for those who do not know the play. The information is clear and easy to follow. The battles are creative. The spar production is exciting to watch.
It’s a huge cast. Everyone dies several times. The crown sits on the head of no fewer than a half dozen Henrys. You won’t be confused. It really makes sense. The actors are nothing less than fine. When you see the quality of the ensemble work and the way they treat each other (one actor touching the shoulder of another as they walk by), you understand why the production is seamless.
Following a successful 2017 production of Hamlet, director Kat Alix plies her fluid style to this infinitely watchable, not overly produced Henry V.