Short review of the performance last night
I was fortunate to attend a performance in the Abbey last night (27th April) based around Shakespeare’s two plays about Henry IV. In addition to some memorable scenes from the plays, we had Nick Asbury reading from Chaucer, who was a contemporary of John of Gaunt and Henry Bolingbroke. As an avid fan of the Histories it was truly amazing to hear Clive Wood saying the opening words of the plays again. Roger Watkins and Geoffrey Streatfeild gave us the scene between Falstaff and Hal where they take it in turns to imagine how King Henry will deal with the errant Hal. Geoff and Clive then played the scene in Part 2 when Hal brings back the crown and is reconciled to his father. Finally, and to the chimes of Big Ben, King Henry took his last journey to the (actual) Jerusalem Chamber. Magic.
I found the accompanying music a little disappointing: I’d been expecting a fuller, more ecclesiastical sound but, all in all, a fascinating evening.
Shakespeare’s Kings & Westminster Abbey
April 28, 2010 by caulfieldg
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Ahhh, thank you so much for the report. I couldn’t get to the Henry IV night because of work and I had been wondering just how magical it had been. Sounds even better than I could have imagined – Clive disappearing to the Jerusalem Chamber. Wow. My spine tingles just reading about that!
I did get to the Richard II evening on April 20 and am so, so grateful to whoever organised this series. I saw the first Henry VI trilogy day the ensemble did, back in 2006, and knew immediately theatre had changed for me forever – I’d never seen anything like it. The next two years were the most special theatre years of my life – re-seeing plays again and again (good old £5 Courtyard standing room!), looking forward to the next in the series, and so on right til the Glorious Moment in Stratford, and then the final, very emotional days in London. Since then I’ve followed the cast and of course read Nick Asbury’s book about it all – but I never expected that two years after the “end” I would get NEW Histories memories. And that’s what happened with Richard II at the Abbey. One of the most thrilling pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen – again, thanks to this group.
Jonathan Slinger was back as Richard, in the very spot where the real king was annointed and where he believed he had been chosen by God – and the power of that religious belief CHARGED the scenes in such a space. That scene people will remember if they saw it in the theatre, when he is describing his god-given power and says his enemies “shall see us riiiising in our throne, the east”, which on “rising” he lifts his arms making a cross of his body was done so that Richard had the altar, and the east, behind him as Bolingbroke and the audience looked on – making himself into a religious icon, as he believed he really was. My god. And in other scenes whenever he called on God, shouting up to the heights of the gothic arches, as if REALLY calling up to God. Unbelievable. Truly extraordinary.
Of course it brings back the pain of just how good the Histories were and how much I miss them, too – not that it has ever really gone away. I wish wish wish that maybe for as part of opening celebrations of the new RST or something, the RSC could get the actors back for a kind of staged reading of all the Histories plays. It’s not too late – it’s all still there, as those of us who have seen any of the Abbey shows know. And this time they could RECORD the thing and let us buy the CDs to treasure.
I’m going to the Henry V night next Tuesday, cannot wait.