Henry V, a man with the trust of a nation upon him; a man expected to be a great and motivational leader to his troops; a man forced to set aside his personal views in favour of his country. It’s not easy being king.
Likewise it’s a tough gig for Jude Law, taking on the lead
protagonist in one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated history plays. The plot of Henry V is relatively simple, the play essentially forming a
character study of kingship, what it means to be a good leader, or a hero.
Law deals with the pressure as admirably as the king
himself. Despite his slender frame and graceful movement across the stage, his
Henry is a charismatic leader – charming during court scenes, yet equally
commanding and inspirational in battle. His
is a ruthless king, angry at those who defy him yet mournful of those who die
in battle. Henry V contains some of Shakespeare’s grandest speeches, which Law
rousingly performs with impeccable diction.
The final scene sees Henry wooing his future queen, Catherine – here Law
reverts to the typically hapless and endearing romantic hero we’ve seen him
play in so many rom-coms, but it works in context for a thoroughly amusing and
entertaining scene that contrasts with the machismo of the previous acts. Law certainly lives up to his star-billing.
The supporting cast provide much hilarity, in particular
Matt Ryan’s bumbling Fluellen and Ron Cook’s cynical Pistol. Ashley Zhangazha is an eloquent Chorus,
clearly delineating the play’s structure, though his unnecessary doubling as
the Boy is a little confusing.
Yet, whilst Grandage has teased some superb, colourful performances
from his cast, visually the production is bare and a little dreary. Christopher Oram’s wooden stockade set
provides a Globe-like backdrop to the period costumes, doorways and Neil Austin’s
subtle lighting design hinting at a world beyond the stage. As Chorus implores in his opening Prologue, the
audience are required to use their imagination – something this production
takes too literally. The lighting and
ambient music (Adam Cork) certainly provide atmosphere, but the production
feels too static, the actors either stood still or running from scene to
scene. It makes you wish Grandage had
taken a few more creative risks rather than relying on his star cast.
That said, this remains a lucid and engaging (if safe) Henry V that might be aimed squarely at
mainstream audiences, but proves Law is a great interpreter of Shakespeare’s
verse.
4/5
Watch: Henry V is the final play in the Grandage Season and runs until 15th February.