Shakespeare's Henry V at TIP Is As Poignant As It Is Moving

Artwork by K.Mac Design, LLC

Theatre in the Park kicks off the summer with a no-holds-barred production of William Shakespeare's Henry V, which is as poignant as it is moving. On the surface, it might be tempting to assume this production is a trad-male testosterone fest; but theatergoers only need to peek beneath the surface to see a robust tale told fearlessly.

Ira David Wood IV steps into the spotlight in more ways than one. As TIP's artistic director, he chose to cut this famously heavy play down to its most essential elements, keeping the show at a reasonable 2 hours (not including intermission). As a director, he built a strong cast out of the impressive male talent pool in Raleigh. (The show is mostly cast according to traditional gender roles; more on this later.)

As an actor, Ira Wood brings a raw intensity to King Henry V of England (a.k.a. Prince Harry) that drives the play forward even through scenes that are notoriously difficult to hold audience attention spans. What results is a raw and riveting exploration of what it means to take not only a throne, but all the weight and responsibility that comes with it.

One cannot review this play without tackling the obvious historical difficulties. It's well known that in the era of the Bard, all actors were male, so a cast with all but three females made perfect sense in Elizabethan England. Shakespeare did plenty to challenge and twist traditional gender roles in many of his plays.

TIP artistic director Ira Wood directs and plays the title role in Henry V (photo by Catherine Davis Photography)

In his Chronicle Plays, however, Shakespeare tended to play straight (pardon the phrase); and this production honors that (with the sole exception of Matilda Mellon -- daughter of Lorelei Lemon -- who does a moving turn as The Boy). Wood and his capable cast did their best to give heft to the thankless female roles with smart casting (feisty Lorelei Lemon Stephenson as a saucy Mistress Quickly and winsome Krystin Bailey as the dutiful Catherine of Valois); but Shakespeare does them no favors here.

Catherine's only scene with any personality is entirely spoken in French, with no supertitles; and though the interplay between Catherine and her maid Alice (a charming Christina Polge) is effective at communicating through body language, tone, and context, the scene nevertheless feels like it's from an entirely different play. Still, between Quickly and Catherine, the few women provide welcomed bawdy and comedic relief by turns from the intensity of the rest of the play.

And intense is putting it mildly: at the accession of Henry V, tensions are brewing between England and France. David Henderson masterfully guides the audience as The Chorus and draws them into a world of war and turmoil from the moment he steps onto the stage. Jim O'Brien (Canterbury) and Thom Hayes (Ely) do an admirable job of setting up one of the most striking stage entrances of the year: King Harry strides onto the scene as spotlights explode around him and stirring music swells. Harry is inheriting a troubled kingdom with a rightful claim to the throne of France, which has no desire whatsoever to surrender its autonomy.

Honest Pint co-founder David Henderson plays The Chorus in Shakespeare's Henry V at TIP (photo by Catherine Davis Photography)

Kurt Benrud plays a staunch King Charles VI of France; but in a parallel to Harry, it's the heir apparent who is eager to prove himself. Adolfo Lundari's haughty and mercurial Dauphin helps tip a tenuous series of emissarial communications (a slick, perceptive Sean A Brosnahan as Montjoy) over the edge into war, and England is ready to rise to the challenge. Events move quickly in this production, so it would behoove audiences to know their history going in.

Ira Wood's staging is stripped down and bare, allowing the audience to appreciate the depth-of-field that Theatre in the Park allows, using only a few scaffolds in various arrangements to signal settings and scene changes. This is especially effective during the battle scenes, which are choreographed with a visceral sense of danger that is often missing in modern combat staging.

Even though the viewer never fears for the actors on the stage, battles still convey the ominous loom of death and mayhem; there is nothing "pretty" here, just raw violence. That might not be suitable for all theatergoers, seeing a production that cares more about effectively telling a brutal story than it is about safe spaces and gentler sensibilities is deeply appreciated by this reviewer.

That's not to say the production lacks insight or heart, for that is where Wood truly shines. Act 1 climaxes in combat, and Act 2 opens as Harry wrestles with his conscience in the midst of such great upheaval. Betrayal, battle, and death have left him reeling, an all-too-human response that he cannot reveal to the men he commands.

Krystin Bailey (right) plays Catherine of Valois in Henry V (photo by Catherine Davis Photography)

Not content to be an austere and distant monarch, Harry yearns for true connection with those who are risking their lives for him. The scenes in which he goes undercover to commune with his men around their campfires in between melees shows us the inner workings of a man who believes in his cause but is groaning under the weight of his responsibilities. Although the St. Crispin's day speech is rousing to the bones, it's Henry's quiet fervent prayer in soliloquy on the eve of a defining battle that really hits home.

Watch for grounded performances by Chris Dixon (Gloucester) and Nicholas Hopf (Bates) and an emotional fate for York (Preston Campbell) as highwater marks for camaraderie and heartbreak. Comic relief also shines through via Pistol (Robert Kaufman), Scroop (Raphael Siary) and Bardolf (Patrick Whalen). Exeter (D. Anthony Pender) and Westmoreland (James Miller) provide the stalwart support Harry needs to press his rightful claim. It should be noted that every male cast member pulls double duty in battle scenes and their athleticism and passion is to be commended.

War, treachery, and traditional gender roles might not be everyone's cup of tea. But this cup overflows with authentic emotion and a hard look at the underpinnings of power and its effects on mankind that is stirring to the soul. Bolstered by impeccable lighting (designed by Matthew Strampe) and rousing sound design (also Wood), this production is a feast for the senses and a worthy addition to Theatre in the Park's 2024 season.

Pictured here are the cast and crew of Theatre in the Park's production of Henry V (photo by Catherine Davis Photography)

William Shakespeare's HENRY V (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, June 27-30), directed by Ira David Wood IV and starring Ira Wood as King Henry V of England (a.k.a Prince Harry) and David Henderson as The Chorus (Theatre in the Park in Raleigh). PRESENTER/VENUE:: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/, https://www.facebook.com/theatreintheparkraleigh, https://www.instagram.com/theatreinthepark/, https://twitter.com/TheatreInPark, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6csRm6S7ViHeBuRSlV_fqg. 2024 SEASON: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/whats-on/season-2024.html. DIRECTIONS: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/visit/how-to-find-us.html. PARKING: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/visit/parking.html. HENRY V (five-act Chronicle Play, first performed in 1599): https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/henry-v/, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Henry-V-by-Shakespeare, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_V_(play). THE SCRIPT: https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/henry-v/read/. STUDY GUIDE (Utah Shakespeare Festival): https://www.bard.org/study-guides/henry-v-study-guide/. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (Elizabethan and Jacobean English playwright and poet, 1564-1616): https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/25200, https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-life/, https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/william-shakespeare/william-shakespeare-biography/, https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/william-shakespeare, https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Shakespeare, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare. TICKETS: $28.96 ($23.60 students, seniors 60+, and active-duty military personnel), except $20.38 per person for groups of 10 or more. Click here to buy tickets. GROUP SALES (10+ tickets): Call 919-831-6058 or click here. NOTE: The Saturday and Sunday performances are SOLD OUT. INFORMATION: 919-831-6058 or info@theatreinthepark.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: Theatre in the Park.

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