REVIEW: Tread the Boards’ Henry V runs at Stratford’s Attic Theatre until 27th April

Henry V

The Attic Theatre , Playing until 27 April

By Peter Buckroyd

A production of Shakespeare’s Henry V a play with 43 named characters as well as ‘Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, Attendants’ at The Attic sounds like an impossibility. It calls for several locations and battle scenes. Surely not.

And yet John-Robert Partridge’s production includes them all with just 10 actors. How? You will have to go and see. And it’s also as if Tread the Boards company has been reborn, back to what we have come to expect as its brilliant best.

John-Robert Partridge casts himself as the Chorus and with great clarity the production is telling a story so it makes sense that the actors play lots of different characters, bringing the story to life for the audience. Partridge also plays the substantial parts of the King of France, the Welshman Glendower and the Archbishop of Canterbury. They are differentiated by changes of costume, often in front of the audience and different accents. It’s a brilliant concept, excitingly realised.

The only actor who does not play multiple roles is George Ormerod as King Henry. He isn’t a Hollywood heartthrob. He is what Shakespeare asked for – a plain man whose fate ordains him to wear a crown. In battle mode this Henry is powerful, loud and blustery but in the wooing scene he is humble, and ordinary, perfectly matching Jasmine Arden-Brown’s upright and innocent Katherine. Ormerod makes his long speeches and sololiquies sound as if we have never heard them before. His verse speaking is excellent but his intonations and phrasing fresh and full of impact.

This is true of the whole production. There are three actors, however, - John Robert Partridge, Jon Kerr as Exter/Bardolph/Jamy and Emily Tietz as Westmorland/Constable/Gower – who have the skills not only of superb verse speaking but also of having moments of being completely still but at the same time powerful by their stance, gestures and dead pan faces so that they become at various points in the play part of as vibrant tableau.

This is a very strong and highly disciplined ensemble but the production is also enhanced by energy emanating from each of them whether they are doing anything or not. The coherent atmosphere is enhanced by Kat Murray’s excellent soundtrack and lighting, by Adam Clarke and Hettie Human’s simple but effective set with an imposing throne and lovely banners and drapes. And there are exciting sword fights and battle scenes of organised chaos.

This is a must see production with John-Robert Partridge and Tread the Boards Company at its best. I have been excited by and admired lots of aspects of the many productions of this play I have seen before, but I have never also been moved by it. I was by this one. I think it’s stunning.