Among the rarer birds in the Shakespearean canon we find the last of the Bard's long line of history plays, Henry VIII. Many scholars and theatre people dismiss it out of hand, due to its inconsistencies of tone (it was co-authored by the veteran playwright with the young and verbose John Fletcher). Some may, perhaps, regard it as ill-omened because it was during an early performance of this play that embers from a cannon set the Globe Theatre alight and burned it to the ground. It's no wonder that the play has only achieved 3 previous productions in the Stratford Festival's 7 decades.
But then, we find the following in director Martha Henry's notes for the programme:
"As the text was trimmed to reveal the story, it began to shine like a buried jewel."
The trimming process eliminated a sizable number of lesser characters, conflating some together and simply ditching the scenes involving others.
The production which Henry has helmed for the Festival's 2019 season has indeed polished this problem child into a sparkling theatrical jewel. While the play sparkles, it also develops an air of unaccustomed intimacy, a feeling that we are eavesdropping on the private moments of real people, in the intimate space of the Studio Theatre.
At the same time, the production -- especially its visual elements -- makes more than a nod towards the famous Festival Theatre stage on which this play was first performed here. The Studio Theatre's flat-floor stage begins with that shape, and here it is augmented with a small upstage balcony above a handsome and regally-stylized engraving of Henry's coat of arms. Two simple square pedestals matching the warm earth tones of the stage floor flank the stage and provide seating spots.
Francesca Callow's designs for the costumes continue the theme of the stage itself, of nodding to the Festival Theatre's tradition for mounting productions which appear luxurious but in fact are entirely portable, with set pieces and props whisked on and off stage as needed. In this space, these pieces necessarily need to be limited in size and number, but such items as Henry's throne (on its wheeled platform) create the right kind of impact within severe limitations.
The costumes make more than a nod to the period, with sweeping dresses for the ladies and swirling black-and-gold cloaks, robes, and coats for the men -- but there are also elements of modernity in the clothes which remind us that the play (as originally staged) was near to contemporary time for its audience. A key point is the avoidance of huge, swirling Tudor skirts with floor-sweeping sleeves; there wouldn't be room for them, in such a small performing space. So what we get here is a visual evocation of historic costume rather than the thing itself.
If all this aura of Tudor pageantry is one essential aspect of the play (certain scenes cry out for this treatment), it is equally essential that the play be stocked with strong performances. While the entire story focuses around Henry, there are long periods of time when he is off stage. This is not a star's play, but it requires acting of high calibre from many actors to make it "go." This company is among the strongest casts I've seen onstage in Stratford in many years.
Jonathan Goad gave a vital, alert, engaging performance as Henry. This is not the older, heavier Holbein Henry. Goad vividly captured the diverse and gifted nature of the man. Also avoided is the impression of Henry as a foul-tempered tyrant whose moments of good fellowship and friendly disposition are a mere put-on attitude. Script and actor together worked to show us a charismatic, kingly man who does harbour genuine emotional attachments to his friends, and above all to his queen, Katharine.
The three key characters surrounding Henry were all portrayed by actors of great power, both vocal and physical.
Tim Campbell gave the Duke of Buckingham a strong presence in the early scenes. After he was condemned to death, his lengthy speech before his execution became the first great dramatic highlight of the evening -- beautifully shaped and phrased, steeped in an aura of regret for his loss along with an unspoken sense that Henry will come to regret this day.
Rod Beattie at first was all sanctimonious unction as Cardinal Wolsey, but the unction soon gets mingled with equal and greater measures of worldly sophistication. His welcome speeches in the great ballroom scene in his palace were infused with naughtiness in the form of winks, both physical and verbal. Every moment of his portrayal was tinged with immense pride in his own glory.
But, as everyone knows, pride goeth before a fall. Wolsey does indeed fall from favour, and from power, and dies in a cold monastery where he has taken sanctuary before he could be conveyed to the Tower of London for execution. In his final scene comes a great pair of speeches, usually referred to by the opening line of the second: "Farewell to all my greatness." It's all too easy to overplay this scene as one of the Great Moments of English Dramatic Literature. Beattie took the opposite course, keeping the speech on a more conversational level -- almost as if he were chatting with one person over a cup of tea. The regret, the recognition, all those facets of the experience were there -- but they were touched into the picture in subtle shades, not painted in glaring primary colours. It made the scene far more moving and human than any amount of dramatic oratory could ever do.
Power was the keynote of Irene Poole's assumption of Queen Katherine. Although she started out in a more conventional consort mode, this Katherine came strongly to life in the great trial scene. Poole dared to play the climactic passages of this scene standing centre stage, and facing the back wall where Henry sat with the two cardinals. This meant that three-quarters of the audience could not see her face at all. This is something only a powerful actor with a clear, powerful voice and true stage charisma could dare to try -- but Irene Poole all those qualities in full measure. A riveting moment indeed.
As always in Shakespeare's histories, the bevy of noble lords attending on the king can come to seem like players on a sports team, all in the same uniform, and all exhibiting similar behaviour. But this show deployed a strong cast of veteran and relative newcomer actors alike, with rewarding results. As the Duke of Norfolk, Scott Wentworth demonstrated exactly the sublety and insight which enabled Norfolk to end up as the great survivor of Henry's impending religious bloodbath. Stephen Russell gave a signature performance and a truly multi-sided personality to the Lord Chamberlain. Qasim Khan struck me as a bit over-the-top as Gardiner, the Bishop of Winchester, but not to the detriment of the play.
Kevin Kruchkywich contributed a good Bishop of Lincoln, and then went on to create a clear portrait in just a few scenes of Thomas Cromwell, who would become the engineer of Henry's policies in later years. And Brad Hodder depicted great strength and assurance as Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the spearhead of Henry's creation of the Church of England. His presentation of the lengthy, fulsome prophecy of Elizabeth's glory at the final christening scene trod neatly the fine line between not enough and far too much.
This play has even fewer opportunities for women than some of the other histories. Alexandra Lainfiesta used her few short scenes to create a multi-sided view of Anne Boleyn, capturing not only the beauty of the young girl but something of her determination and her easily-kindled lust for power.
Martha Henry's pacing of the entire show was exemplary, allowing plenty of breathing room for the emotionally telling moments, and keeping the more ceremonial scenes moving briskly forward.
This Henry VIII sets high standards for breathing life into Shakespeare's history plays. The company, strong even by Stratford's high standards, raise this play to a far higher level than most scholars would believe possible.
Henry VIII is a real winner!
The three key characters surrounding Henry were all portrayed by actors of great power, both vocal and physical.
Tim Campbell gave the Duke of Buckingham a strong presence in the early scenes. After he was condemned to death, his lengthy speech before his execution became the first great dramatic highlight of the evening -- beautifully shaped and phrased, steeped in an aura of regret for his loss along with an unspoken sense that Henry will come to regret this day.
Rod Beattie at first was all sanctimonious unction as Cardinal Wolsey, but the unction soon gets mingled with equal and greater measures of worldly sophistication. His welcome speeches in the great ballroom scene in his palace were infused with naughtiness in the form of winks, both physical and verbal. Every moment of his portrayal was tinged with immense pride in his own glory.
But, as everyone knows, pride goeth before a fall. Wolsey does indeed fall from favour, and from power, and dies in a cold monastery where he has taken sanctuary before he could be conveyed to the Tower of London for execution. In his final scene comes a great pair of speeches, usually referred to by the opening line of the second: "Farewell to all my greatness." It's all too easy to overplay this scene as one of the Great Moments of English Dramatic Literature. Beattie took the opposite course, keeping the speech on a more conversational level -- almost as if he were chatting with one person over a cup of tea. The regret, the recognition, all those facets of the experience were there -- but they were touched into the picture in subtle shades, not painted in glaring primary colours. It made the scene far more moving and human than any amount of dramatic oratory could ever do.
Power was the keynote of Irene Poole's assumption of Queen Katherine. Although she started out in a more conventional consort mode, this Katherine came strongly to life in the great trial scene. Poole dared to play the climactic passages of this scene standing centre stage, and facing the back wall where Henry sat with the two cardinals. This meant that three-quarters of the audience could not see her face at all. This is something only a powerful actor with a clear, powerful voice and true stage charisma could dare to try -- but Irene Poole all those qualities in full measure. A riveting moment indeed.
As always in Shakespeare's histories, the bevy of noble lords attending on the king can come to seem like players on a sports team, all in the same uniform, and all exhibiting similar behaviour. But this show deployed a strong cast of veteran and relative newcomer actors alike, with rewarding results. As the Duke of Norfolk, Scott Wentworth demonstrated exactly the sublety and insight which enabled Norfolk to end up as the great survivor of Henry's impending religious bloodbath. Stephen Russell gave a signature performance and a truly multi-sided personality to the Lord Chamberlain. Qasim Khan struck me as a bit over-the-top as Gardiner, the Bishop of Winchester, but not to the detriment of the play.
Kevin Kruchkywich contributed a good Bishop of Lincoln, and then went on to create a clear portrait in just a few scenes of Thomas Cromwell, who would become the engineer of Henry's policies in later years. And Brad Hodder depicted great strength and assurance as Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the spearhead of Henry's creation of the Church of England. His presentation of the lengthy, fulsome prophecy of Elizabeth's glory at the final christening scene trod neatly the fine line between not enough and far too much.
This play has even fewer opportunities for women than some of the other histories. Alexandra Lainfiesta used her few short scenes to create a multi-sided view of Anne Boleyn, capturing not only the beauty of the young girl but something of her determination and her easily-kindled lust for power.
Martha Henry's pacing of the entire show was exemplary, allowing plenty of breathing room for the emotionally telling moments, and keeping the more ceremonial scenes moving briskly forward.
This Henry VIII sets high standards for breathing life into Shakespeare's history plays. The company, strong even by Stratford's high standards, raise this play to a far higher level than most scholars would believe possible.
Henry VIII is a real winner!
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