8 - King Henry IV Part One

Although I’ve read this play many times, due to the fact that I studied it at A-level, I had forgotten how particularly well written this is. From the King’s disquiet to Hotspur’s fire mixed with the comedy of Falstaff and the inevitable rise of Hal. There are too many great lines and speeches to list here; from the Prince’s reasoning for his bad behaviour to Sir John’s opinion on honour. But for all this I still can’t spot Ivy! (Maybe she shows up in part 2!)

During my college days I got to see the English Shakespeare Company’s excellent performance of this play. It was shown as part of ‘The Henrys’ at The Old Vic, where they would perform back to back Henry IV (1 & 2) and Henry V. A marathon only topped a few years later when they added another Henry to the mix and a Richard at either end to give you the full ‘War of the Roses’ (now that must have been something to watch!). 

It was the staging I remember the most and in particular the costumes which involved an excellent blending of periods from ancient to modern. It was as if a reality bomb had exploded resulting in a world where knights wore full armour, courtiers Edwardian frock coats and Falstaff a pinstripe suit and also where a berserker Scot wielding two claymores could fight side by side with soldiers in modern fatigues.

In addition to the plethora of excellent speeches and soliloquies there are also plenty of good insults thrown between Hal and Falstaff -

“...thou clay-brained guts, thou knotty-pated fool, thou whoreson obscene greasy tallow- catch”

 “...you starveling, you elf-skin, you dried neat's tongue, you bull's pizzle, you stock-fish! ... you tailor's-yard, you sheath, you bowcase; you vile standing-tuck”

But my favourite insult belongs to Hotspur on how tedious it is to talk with Glendower-

“I had rather live with cheese and garlic in a windmill, far, 
Than feed on cates and have him talk to me 
In any summer house in Christendom”

Final thoughts – Douglas is one lucky bugger! Kills everything in sight, twice ends up on the losing side and on both occasions is set free!

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