HENRY IV, Part 2
The plays cover the entire gamut of the English world, from kings and princes to noblemen of all stripes, to lawmen, judges, pilgrims, tavern keepers, army recruits, thieves and even the fleas on a drunkard’s itchy hide.
And so our productions encompassed a range of activities from a theft of props and costumes to an onstage marriage proposal by actor David Moss.
Part 2 has the great glorious payoff of Justices Shallow and Silence, two men at the end of their lives reliving the somewhat imagined glories of their youth. It has Shakespearean depictions of men being pressed into serving in the military in a war they don’t understand with incomplete preparation and skills. It completes the grand story of a disappointed father who just barely or perhaps doesn’t quite reconcile with a son desperate for his approval. And, of course, it gives Falstaff rejected by Hal maintaining an enduring optimism of sorts against all odds.
For our audiences who missed seeing the rarely produced Part 2 performed, we extend our condolences on missing out on the full scope of a great Shakespearean event and adventure. We hope you won’t make the same mistake next time we offer a less-known Shakespearean work.
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