As I understand it, Shakespeare’s North Productions is based in Palmerston North. They brought The Tragedy of Julius Caesar to Wellington’s two/fiftyseven venue a year ago, and treated Palmy to A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Globe Theatre earlier this year. Director Eli Hancock was part of the SGCNZ National Shakespeare Schools Production 2022, playing one of three Iagos in scenes from Othello, while Katy Comar played Prince Hal in scenes from Henry IV Part II.

And now Comar steps up to Hal’s destiny as Henry V. Backstory embedded, she is fully immersed in the role and therefore a compelling presence.

[Note: these rehearsal photos will be replaced if better production shots are offered.]

Given Hancock’s admirable no-frills approach to staging Shakespeare, the Prologue plea from the Chorus (Chris O’Grady) for a “muse of fire” to allow the “Wooden O” of Shakespeare’s Globe – in this case the oblong strip under BATS’ Dome – to “hold the vasty fields of France” and the helmeted soldiers “that did affright the air at Agincourt” is apt, since the solution is to call on our imaginations to summon the scenes.

This requires the cast to speak their speeches trippingly on the tongue with clear understanding and intentions – and all ten of them do, in the 24 roles they play. The text is considerably reduced and those familiar with the full story may feel aggrieved at some of the cuts, but the essence of Henry’s ‘journey’ remains.  

By way of proving he’s got what it takes to be a king, Henry V (Comar) allows the Archbishop of Canterbury (Leander Mason) and the Bishop of Ely (Lily-Rose Parker) to convince him he has the right to claim the throne of France. An insulting gift of tennis balls, brought by the Dauphin (David Fourie), cements his resolve. He also arraigns the Earl of Cambridge (Fourie), Scroop (Jesse Franks) and Thomas Grey (Margot Allais) as traitors conspiring with the French, and sends them to their deaths.

Bardolph (Parker), Pistol (Matthew Wongchoti) and Nym (Franks), who used to be Prince Hal’s lowlife drinking mates, are not impressed that they too are expected to step up as loyal soldiers.

King Charles VI of France (Parker, impressively contrasting her Bardolph) rejects Henry’s demand to hand over his kingdom, so the threat of war increases. The usually comical scene where Fluellen discusses military strategy with fellow Captains is sadly deleted, but given Fourie doesn’t sport the necessary Welsh accent in his other few scenes, the humour would be lost. His conflict with Pistol (Wongchoti), culminating in Pistol being obliged to eat a leek (always an audience favourite), is also missing.

Meanwhile Katherine (Madeleine James), daughter of King Charles, attempts to learn English from her heavily accented maid, Alice (Allais), in a deliciously rendered scene. (Is this where Tolkien got the name Bilbo?) The direct address convention liberally used throughout – perhaps, at times, at the expense of character-to-character connection – goes to ‘next level’, as Katherine appeals to us for help. When a Kiwi bloke prompts her on “chin” she hears it as “chun” and a running gag ensues.

Later, Margot Allais confirms her excellent comic sensibilities as a captured French Soldier in a scene where Mason, as an English ‘Boy’, proves he too is equally fluent en française.

The welcome comedy is there, of course, to offset the serious business of war, which is delivered more through reportage than action. Some of the necessarily expositional passages are delivered efficiently and somewhat impassively, and I wonder if more emotional engagement with the significance or implications of what’s being imparted might help us understand their import. That said, Allan Burne brings a focused and often urgent energy to his trio of roles: Exeter, Bates and the Governor of Harfleur.

Having traversed the passages to war – resolve, ruthless leadership, mixing incognito with his troops, introspection and motivational speeches building to the impassioned St Crispin’s Day speech – Comar’s Henry V attempts to woo Katherine by way of cementing the peace settlement. Amusingly enacted, it may seem a fanciful ‘happy ending’ except it’s historically true. In the Epilogue, the Chorus tells us they would go on to produce:
“Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crown’d King
 Of France and England …”
(which Shakespeare dramatised in three parts long before he tackled his other histories).

In all, Shakespeare’s North Productions brings a welcome freshness to Wellington’s classical diet.

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