The end is in our sights: 3H6
Saturday evening and the last play of the day, the third and final part of the H6 trilogy. Strange to think that this is the last time that any of these productions will be seen here in Stratford, where they were initially performed back in 2000, or was it 2001? All theatre performances are basically no more than fleeting moments, seen and enjoyed as they happen, and then only living on in the memories of those that saw them, but this has been one long moment for this trilogy. From here they, and indeed the whole Histories cycle, will move on to their final destination, a brief season at the Roundhouse down in London, and then they’ll be gone, this time most probably for good. But back to this production of 3H6. (spoilers coming up)
Part three picks up exactly where part two left off, and there’s no slow start to this one, as the action happens quickly fast and relentlessly from the very beginning. This is a considerably stronger play than the first two parts, and this production abounds in strong, sometimes downright gruesome, images. Like the scene where Richard wears the face of the dead Somerset as a mask, or a little later when he uses one of the dead enemies as a chair, while calmly eating a snack, and the torture and maiming of Clifford is as vicious as you’re ever likely to see on a stage, absolutely chilling.
This is Richard’s play just as much as R3 is, in fact it could just as easily have been called 1R3 instead of 3H6, and perhaps that would have saved this play from its now relative obscurity. Jonathan Slinger as Richard is very good in a suitably sinister kind of way, Katy Stephens is splendid as Margaret and Chuk Iwuji’s H6 neatly balances things out as the third centre of focus.
There’s more ropework during some of the battle scenes, and I’m actually amazed at how acrobatic some of these actors turn out to be. I quite like this use of the whole space that this theatre provides, and it didn’t feel repetitive for me, as it was done in slightly different ways which kept some variation. More tiresome was the constant popping up of characters in the aisles of the circle and the gallery, that really lost its appeal after a couple of plays of having that happen about every 20 minutes or so, but that’s only a minor irritation.
The one idea that has been milked to death at this point is the use of ghosts, and I’m absolutely sick of them showing up “unexpectedly” at every single moment of dramatic tension. I’m sure it’s not a problem when you see the plays one at a time, but when you sit through them like this, back to back, it’s rather more than just noticeable. Seriously, at times (particularly in 2H6) if feels as if we’ve wandered into “A Christmas Carol”; did I make a wrong turn somewhere on my way back from the interval? Here we not only get ghosts appearing to observe, but actively affecting events, such as when the ghost of York’s appearance seems to be what makes Clarence return to the side of Edward IV, or worse, when York’s ghost interferes with Warwick, making him lose the fight at the end, after which Warwick dies observed by his brother Montague’s ghost, which I didn’t think added anything to the play.
But that is just one element of what is otherwise a fine production, even if I find Warwick’s performance grating by this time. Towards the end the expected big battle never materialises, instead it’s just symbolically hinted at, with a stream of first white, and then red feathers falling from the ceiling, and H6 walking through it, very deftly suggesting the blood being shed on his behalf. Another good call is the merger of the son-that-killed-his-father with the father-that-killed-his-son, once again Keith Bartlett and Lex Shrapnel as father and son, into a scene that encompasses the true horrors of a civil war, not to mention that confusion that goes along with it.
I’ve now firmly decided to close my ears to line changes, as there were more of them here, and I just get annoyed at them. Besides, who can be sure if they’re intentional or accidental, with the actors having to remember up to seven different plays each. I can hardly imagine the mental exhaustion that must be involved for them, we’re just sitting here taking it all in, they have to get up there and deliver it all to us.
All things considered, this is a very satisfying production, and a very nice lead up to R3, which is the big finale tomorrow, the last Stratford performance for this two-year project. I’ve got a seat in the stalls for that one, which I’m quite pleased with, but I’ve been getting “advice” from those that have seen the production before that it might actually not be a good idea to sit all that close, so we’ll see what happens. The post on that final performance might be delayed, depending on what happens afterwards, but it’ll be posted no later than Monday, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
//Jenny
