Reaching the halfway mark: H5
Time for the last play of the day, H5, which started slightly late. When Forbes Masson stepped onto the stage everyone expected him to give us the customary caution of switching off mobiles and the like, but I guess they had decided that since this would be the fourth play in the last 24 hours for us all we probably knew the rules, and so had decided to just get on with the play. So instead of the caution, we got “Oh, for a muse of fire”, which caused a big laugh as it was so unexpected. By this point in the cycle, everyone’s almost giddy with excitement and the rush of just being here, being part of this moment.
The atmosphere is strange, there’s an air of tangible excitement, as we experience what few have been through so far, and people are getting increasingly friendly and chatty; we’re no longer absolute strangers, we’re fellow voyagers on this journey of discovery. It seems like most people are here for the whole cycle, and many have seen these productions before, though never quite like this. (spoilers coming up)
There turns out to be several changes to the Chorus’ opening lines, something that I’m usually almost allergic to, but by this point a certain “anything goes” mentality is starting to set in, so I just let go and laugh along with everyone else at the changes. It turns out to be an interesting production, easily the most visually interesting so far, but at times I wonder if the concept that has been realised doesn’t hinder rather than help to convey the meaning of the text.
I remain unconvinced about portraying H5 as a quite boyish king, but I can’t fault the performance as such, it’s certainly well done according to that brief, it’s just not one that I think suits this particular character. The downside to choosing that route becomes evident in scenes like the siege of Harfleur, where I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard a less intimidating H5 deliver the ultimatum to the city, I was half expecting the governor to just go “nah” and reinforce the gates.
The visual concept is to have the French above, inhabiting the lofty airs above the thrust stage, while the English are on and below the ground. Not a bad idea, but to have the French coming down from the rafters on trapezes borders dangerously on parody, especially as they stay there throughout, perched above the stage. There are some clear delights in this, such as the French being dressed in long flowing robes, the very picture of lazy frippery, and John Mackay’s Dauphin is an absolute hoot, a wonderful performance in every way, and never funnier than in the scene where he brags about writing poetry in honour of his amazing horse. Marvellous.
I don’t know if it’s everyone’s exhaustion that is starting to surface, but we laugh at pretty much every joke, even the ones that aren’t usually funny. A few people seemed to be drooping towards the end, which didn’t arrive until 10.55 pm, a long day for all.
The scenes from inside H5’s army camp contain one good turn after another, a Fluellen (Jonathan Slinger), that is actually funny and not just tedious, a curiously familiar looking black-bearded Captain Macmorris (Rob Carroll) with a distinct Northern Irish accent, not to mention a coat that is opened and shown to be full of explosive materials, a Williams (Lex Shrapnel) that is spot on as he finds that it is the king that he has quarrelled with, and a number of interesting interactions between the minor characters.
The final fight is highly stylized, which seems like a good idea considering the limitations that the visual concept imposes on interaction between the two armies, and after the battle is over the French start to drag coffin after coffin onto the stage. These are placed into position and a floor laid over them, where the end scene with H5’s wooing of Princess Katherine takes place. That did feel a bit too overdone in order to hammer home the point that peace is built on the bones of the dead, but it is a valid point nevertheless.
Quite a lot of people were at the Duck afterwards, in spite of there being another three plays tomorrow, but this day has largely flown by, so hopefully tomorrow will be no different. The seats of the temporary Courtyard Theatre turns out to be surprisingly comfortable, no problem so far in sitting still for such long periods at a time, so we’re probably going to last the distance. Halfway through now, four down and four more to go. We must be mad.
//Jenny
