Battle Scenes And Victory Cries Reign in ‘Henry V’
By Melody Udell in Arts & Entertainment on May 15, 2014 7:00PM
"Henry V" at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Things are not looking great for King Henry V, the historically based young monarch that Shakespeare immortalized in his war-torn ode to 15th-century England. He recently assumed the throne after the death of his father, Henry IV, but can’t seem to shake his previous reputation as Prince Hal, the wild party guy who couldn’t be trusted to rule over the drunkards at Boar’s Head Tavern, much less an entire country. So to earn the respect of his citizens and settle the country’s bitterness after successive civil wars, Henry gets down to business. And he starts by laying claim to parts of France based on dubious familial roots and invading the rest.
As a play, Henry V is certainly intense and battle-heavy—not the flighty fun of A Midsummer Night's Dream, for sure. One of Shakespeare’s most eloquent battlefield speeches, referred to as the St. Crispin Day speech, is a rousing cry for patriotism, and Harry Judge as Henry nails the delivery. But since the Chicago Shakespeare Theater—and, presumably, Shakespeare himself—knew that war scenes alone won’t pack the house, there’s a bit of comedic relief thrown in at just the right time. Larry Neumann Jr., Bret Tuomi and Greg Vinkler play the zany trio Nym, Bardolph and Pistol, respectively: former criminals who are now soldiers in Henry’s army. Vinkler’s Pistol, making his own sword-swooshing sound effects, is a hilarious reminder that wars and loyalty take place off the battlefield as well as on.
The play’s big moment, the battle of Agincourt, unfolds with just the right touch of drama on Kevin Depinet’s multipurpose set (helped in large part by Philip S. Rosenberg’s lighting effects). Judge, after Henry goes undercover and learns about an assassination attempt on his life, shows that the new king has grown considerably from the first moments of the play to the last, in which he amusingly attempts to woo the French princess Katharine (Laura Rook). (Although not without a concerning disconnect: Henry has just claimed victory in a bloody battle against the French, yet he’s now asking for the hand of his recent enemy’s daughter.)
But luckily, the Chicago Shakespeare crew focuses on what they do best: satisfying, eloquent deliveries of a play known for its duplicitous opinions on the nature of war. This production seems to come down more on the side of patriotism (versus battlefield valor), which is a relief to those who want more from Henry V. It’s Shakespeare, it seems, who truly reigns on.
The show runs through Sunday, June 15 at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand Ave., 312-595-5600 or online.