FROM "ENGLAND" TO "FRANCE" (7/5/2011)

It's looking like this is going to be "theatre week" for me, beginning with the New York Classical Theatre's production of Shakespeare's Henry the V.  I had thoroughly enjoyed its production of The Rover and had high expectations for this production.  I attended the final dress rehearsal and we were informed that there might be some pauses in the performance for final technical tuneups.

Being "panoramic theatre," NYCT productions require audiences to follow the performers to various sites.  Since Henry V takes place in both England and France and since the two countries are separated by a body of water it was an interesting proposition to have the "English" portions of the play performed at Castle Clinton at Battery Park in lower Manhattan and have the "French" portions performed over on Governor's Island with connecting scenes performed on the ferry to and from the island.

                                            Castle Clinton at Bettery Park

                              Fort Jay at Governor's Island -- I mean in "France"


I cannot even imagine the logistical challenges of maintaining the dramatic thread with all of the movement and disruption.  Being decidedly "low tech," the performers had to project boldly as well as deal with lots of physical activity.  Flashlights were used toward the end of the production to illuminate the characters.  Because of two disruptions in the performance I cannot fully judge the success of this performance compared with a single-stage performance.


One of the characters injured himself during the performance which entailed deleting one scene and adjusting another.  In the latter scene two performers actually played the parts of three.  It was a testimony to the fact that in professional theatre performers often know the other parts as well as their own so as to be able to maintain the ensemble texture.   I was a bit surprised that given the fact that there were so many extras in the production there were not one or two understudies.  I suppose that with the very tight budgets of many theatre groups, paying understudies is just not feasible.


One of the things about this play and this performance is the use of dialect.  The "French" performers (one of whom is actually French) varied greatly in their dialects.  The humourous "English" characters were quite convincing in their "low-born" accents and demeanor. Otherwise, there seemed no attempt to duplicate the English of the nobility and clergy. 


As with so many of Shakespeare's plays there are monologues for certain actors to enjoy and be challenged by.  Although the young actor playing Henry V may not yet have all of the oratorical skill he will develop, he did deliver the famous St. Crispin's Day with conviction and passion to rouse his men to be up to the challenge of fighting and defeating the French.

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,

From this day to the ending of the world,

But we in it shall be remembered-

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition:

And gentlemen in England now a-bed

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."