Henry IV Part 1 at The Globe Theater
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After dinner at a cozy pub, we began our walk to the Globe. We were there before I realized it, and suddenly our tickets were being taken and we passed through a pair of black gates into a small courtyard. Then we traveled up flights of wooden stairs until we got to our seats in the uppermost ring of the theater. The entire place itself was beautifully restored and recreated; I felt as if I had stepped back in time and was seeing the play during one of its original showings so long ago.
We had arrived slightly late, so the play had just begun as we took our seats. My familiar nervousness at seeing or reading a Shakespearian play for the first time had resurfaced earlier in the day (I am always afraid that I won’t be able to understand any of it.) Yet as soon as we had settled into our seats, I found myself sucked into the story. It didn’t matter whether I understood every line, or that I zoned out for a minute or two and stopped keeping up with the dialogue a few times. Like every other Shakespearian play I have seen or read, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and the few missed moments took nothing away from the play.
One of the main themes of Henry IV, as I interpreted it, was one that I had never seen explored anywhere before. Prince Henry and Henry Percy both believe that though they are doing immoral things, those actions will not prevent them from being thought of as moral once their plans are complete. In fact, they believe that their initial immorality will add the love that people will have for them later on. By acting immorally, they create a bad reputation for themselves, which will cause others to be even more amazed and respectful when in the end they rise into morality.
I love foils in stories, so the relationship and comparison between Prince Henry and Henry Percy was my favorite aspect of the play. I also loved the fact that while two sides fight against each other in the play, there is no defined antagonist; those rebelling against the king are shown in a sympathetic light, but so are those fighting on the side of the king.
Not all of the play, however, was serious. In fact, a large portion of it was downright hilarious, thanks to the character of Flagstaff. Rotund, bumbling, and a shameless liar, he was the source of all of the plays numerous and hilarious fat jokes. Yet even this comic character had an opinion of the political happenings going on around him, and spoke movingly about man’s desperate (and in his opinion, meaningless) quest for honor.
One small aspect of the play, the relationship between Henry Percy and his wife Kate, served as only a side to the main action, but still caught my attention. I felt sorry for Kate, a fiery woman who is alternately ignored or berated by her husband in the play. Percy’s mind is so wrapped up in his plans and his rage towards the king that he cannot understand any of her feelings.
I loved the play, and being able to see it at the Globe added so much more the experience. Every moment I spent there, watching the actors on stage, I felt a sense of wonder and captivation. And as an added bonus, Prince Henry was played by Jamie Parker, who also plays Scripps in The History Boys- a favorite movie of mine. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him come on stage; I was a little star struck (and mildly attracted, haha!) His portrayal of Prince Henry was awesome.
Posted on: August 14, 2010 | Categories: England
In Cedar City, Utah, there is an exact replica of The Globe Theater and they host a Shakespeare Festival. I went, last year, and saw “As You Like It” with Meagan’s grandparents. It was amazing. I struggled to keep up with the dialog and found myself missing the theatrics. We also saw “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare”, performed by three actors. Amazing and hilarious.
Embrace the opportunities as they come!
Hello Jennifer,
Loved reading your input. I had the opportunity to see productions of Shakespeare around 1969/73 when I worked at University College Hospital . I lived right across from the theatre at Chalk Farm near Hampstead. in NW3 . So glad everything is going well.
Kathleen
What was the pub called? Was it Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese? I guess there thousands of pubs in London, but that’s always the one I think of. YAY HISTORY BOYS!!!!!!
Awesome – I had no idea there was a replica in Utah!