Henry V

King Henry V has left behind his youthful rebellion and fully accepted his role as England’s King. Now he must lead his army on a mission to reclaim lands in France that, in his view, belong to England. From his diplomatic skills to his all but impossible military victory at Agincourt, Henry proves himself a worthy king. In the end he brings great glory to England, but at a great human cost. One of Shakespeare’s masterpieces, Henry V gives us a truly human, multifaceted look at war and at one of the seminal victories in English history. There is violence inherent in the story, including Henry ordering the execution of old friends, but the battles will be staged in a stylized manner. It may be best suited for middle and high school students who have some preparation for the political intricacies of the story.  

The Thomas Theatre is outfitted with an elevator to the theatre level.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is committed to accessibility. We recognize the needs of persons with disabilities and strive to make our facilities and productions accessible to all. OSF offers a variety of accommodations, outlined here.

 “¡Una vez más a la brecha, queridos amigos…” Daniel José Molina se ha transformado desde imprudente niño de fiesta, el Príncipe Hal, a juicioso e inexorable líder joven, el Rey Henry V, en esta última de las tres obras en que se ha sumergido. Rosa Joshi, basada en Seattle, tiene su estreno como directora en OSF con una de las obras más queridas y citadas de Shakespeare. El nuevo rey, muy audaz, se apodera del trono francés, le corteja a una princesa con quien no comparte idioma y se toma su lugar en el escenario de la historia en una serie de batallas que aún se conmemoran en Inglaterra hoy en día.

El desarrollo de Henry V es apoyado por una dotación de la James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation.

El Rey Henry V ha dejado la rebelión juvenil y se ha entregado completamente al papel del rey de Inglaterra. Ahora tiene que llevar su ejército a una misión para retomarse tierras en Francia que, en su opinión, pertenecen a Inglaterra. Desde sus habilidades diplomáticas hasta su casi imposible victoria militar en Agincourt, Henry se compruebe ser digno rey. Al último, le trae una gran gloria a Inglaterra, pero a enorme costo humano. Una de las obras maestras de Shakespeare, Henry V nos presenta una vista verdaderamente humana y multifacética de la guerra y de una de las victorias seminales de la historia inglesa. Hay una violencia inherente en esta historia, incluso cuando Henry manda ejecutar a viejos amigos, pero las batallas se presentarán de manera estilizada. Pudiera ser más idónea para estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria que estén preparados para las complejidades políticas de la historia. 

El Teatro Thomas cuenta con elevador al nivel del teatro.

El Oregon Shakespeare Festival se compromete a la accesibilidad. Reconocemos a las necesidades de los patrones con discapacidades y nos esforzamos a asegurar que nuestras instalaciones y producciones les sean accesibles a todos. OSF ofrece una variedad de acomodaciones, aquí descritas here.

Henry V completes the four plays often referred to as Shakespeare’s second tetralogy, comprised of Richard II; Henry IV, Parts One and Two; and Henry V.

Richard II: This fractious period of history starts when the titular monarch banishes his cousin Henry Bolingbroke from England for six years. While Richard mismanages his court, the country increasingly grows unsettled. When Richard seizes the land and money left by Bolingbroke’s father to pur­sue his wars in Ireland, Henry returns to England, claiming only to want the return of what is rightly his. Richard’s former allies abandon him to join Bolingbroke. When the king returns from Ireland, he surrenders his throne. Richard is imprisoned in Pomfret Castle, where he is murdered by men seeking favor with Bolingbroke. The new king had wanted Richard out of the way but feels enormous guilt over his death.

Henry IV, Part One: Picking up where the previous play ended, King Henry vows to go on crusade as penance for Richard’s murder, just as soon as things have settled down in the kingdom. Unfortunately, the Scots are acting up, and there are rumblings of rebellion from Wales and even within his own court. Meanwhile, his son and heir, Hal, spends the majority of his time drinking and carous­ing with the wastrel denizens of Eastcheap, in particular a fat old knight named Falstaff. The disaffected nobles, led by the Earls of Worcester and Northumberland and Northumberland’s heir Hotspur, ally with the Welsh and the Scots and raise an army against the king. Hal, seeking to redeem himself, joins with the army, killing Hotspur on the field and helping to win the day as a reformed son and valiant prince.

Henry IV, Part Two: The rebellious nobles, chastened by the defeat at Shrewsbury but unwilling to give up, must regroup, while Hal falls into his old ways again. The ailing king struggles to hold his country together. Hal and his father reconcile before the king’s death. The new King Henry V (shedding his nickname Hal) finally breaks with Falstaff and his inglorious youth for good.

—Kate McConnell 

Reprinted from OSF’s 2018 Illuminations, a 64-page guide to the season’s plays. Members at the Donor level and above and teachers who bring school groups to OSF receive a free copy of Illuminations.