He owns the misdeeds of his younger days by neither excusing them nor letting them bar future glory. Young though he may be, Henry is determined to be as good of a king as he was a bounder in his youth. It helps that Sam Hubbard is so charismatic and able to carry the day with seeming ease as the eponymous king. Perhaps the keystone of the play is the royalty, primarily the English king, though the French king, prince (aka the Dauphin), the princess and the queen play important roles as well. It becomes less important to remember every relationship and the position they held, and more important to be able to recognize whether they belong to royalty, nobility, the clergy or the commonfolk, and what that means as the story moves forward. It’s why Blixt’s choices in casting and staging are so important to making this play accessible. We Americans, on the other hand, are not so cozy with the lordly lines and houses of medieval England. Histories are frequently complex because they are filled with characters that the contemporary audience would have known without need for introduction. Blixt manifests her vision through both the choreography of the chorus and the carefully staged interactions of individuals. Everything is thoughtfully and intentionally staged. She makes strong vocal choices in dividing the duties of the chorus, putting the lines into many mouths, underscoring the communal effect that one person’s decisions have. Blixt, Henry V is filled with powerful imagery. In the world we now inhabit, it is fitting to ask these questions about leadership and what we should expect from those who make decisions about the lives of others.ĭirected by Janice L. It presents a king who is aware of the heavy responsibility he bears for the lives and souls of the people he leads. It shows a leader who must make difficult decisions and do difficult things. It’s a play that promotes patriotism and that proffers the power of delivering a good speech and setting a good example. Henry V offers a model of leadership in dramatic MSF production Bridgette Redman for EncoreMichigan ĬANTON, Mich.–What makes a good leader? Is it charisma? Is it the ability to motivate people? Is it fairness? Is it strict adherence to and respect for the rule of law?Īll of those are questions raised by the production of Shakespeare’s The Life of King Henry the Fifth at the Michigan Shakespeare Festival.
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