Henry VI Part 2 (Shakespeare By The Sea 2022 Production) Theatre Review

While last year’s performances of Henry VI Part 1 were held outdoors due to the pandemic, the company has moved back inside the Little Fish Theatre for Henry VI Part 2. Like last year’s production, it is a staged reading. However, it really is basically a full performance, with the cast in costume, and with a set and props, and with the majority of actors mostly off book. And there are some fantastic performances here, such as those by Brendan Kane as Henry The Sixth, Jane Macfie as both Gloucester and Holland, and Jonathan Fisher as both York and Jack Cade. And, yes, this is the play that gives us the line, “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.”

As with the set for Henry VI Part 1, the set for this production is fairly simple, with a wall upstage, and one set of double doors stage right. There is a throne in the center, and one chair to its side. As the performance begins, King Henry VI enters alone and delivers a brief introduction. As characters are mentioned, they enter, and when he speaks of Margaret, there is a sweet and loving tone in his voice, which is all the sadder for those of us in the audience who recall that Margaret has also begun a relationship with Suffolk. And right away we get a sense that his affection for Margaret will be part of his trouble. As the play begins, we see how the others view the king as weak. When Henry VI says, “They please us well,” regarding the loss of Anjou and Maine as well as the lack of dowry, the reactions of the other characters are in great contrast to his demeanor. And the king seems out of touch. The cast does an excellent job of making clear the various factions right from the start. Jane Macfie is particularly good as Gloucester when speaking against the marriage, saying “She should have stay’d in France, and starved in France.” Also fantastic in this scene is Richard Perloff as Cardinal Beaufort, especially as he speaks against Gloucester and in doing so at one point crosses himself, making us question the truth of his religious convictions. Jonathan Fisher does a great job with the scene’s closing soliloquy, and we in the audience can’t help but side with him because of his passionate performance.

What is also interesting is that Henry VI enters during that speech, and stands in the shadows stage right, remaining there for the next scene, with Gloucester and Eleanor (Tara Donovan). At the end of that scene, Henry VI crosses left as if to follow them out, but then remains as Margaret (Bridget Garwood) and Suffolk (Brad Light) enter. Of course, in this scene we witness Margaret’s true feelings. Does Henry VI also witness them? It is an interesting effect, basically splitting Henry VI into two beings – there is the man himself, who is viewed as the weak king but who seems to know more than he is given credit for, and there is the representation of the realm, or of history itself. And it is that second being that remains on stage, watching, witnessing, and not speaking. Henry VI then takes his throne, and is once again the king, though there is a continuity of presence, for he is silent for much of the scene, as the other characters squabble and scheme. And so that heightens the idea that the king and the realm are one entity, that on some level he is aware of all that transpires. It isn’t until Eleanor argues with Margaret that Henry VI breaks his silence.

In this production, Eleanor alone does the incantation scene, taking on the parts of both the witch and the spirit that is summoned. Tara Donovan does a superb job with this scene, kneeling on the floor and placing candles down with great sense of ceremony. And when she asks about the future of the king, Henry VI enters stage right and watches silently. While voicing the spirit’s responses, Eleanor engages in automatic writing. It is a cool and interesting way of presenting the scene. All of this is done under an eerie red light. After that scene, Henry VI changes his entire demeanor as it becomes day and he takes joy in watching a falcon fly. There is such a wonderful innocence in his countenance then, when he is momentarily freed from the burdens of state. And it is clear that he feels he still needs guidance, as when he moves toward Gloucester for mutual comfort and Margaret stops him with a sound. Her power then is clear, but that moment is even more about Henry VI needing someone to guide him. When Gloucester speaks of willingly handing over his staff, Margaret grabs it from him, which then leads to Gloucester’s “As others would ambitiously receive it,” a nice touch. Henry then looks at the staff, and we can see by his expression that he is wondering if he’s made the right choice, wondering if he’s ready to be his own protector. In another scene, he nervously awaits Gloucester’s arrival, while the others stand about silently, and we see by their disposition just how alone Henry VI is. When Gloucester does arrive, it is then that Henry VI quickly returns to his throne, a nice moment showing how much he does need Gloucester to feel secure in his position. And Jane Macfie is great as Gloucester during the “these days are dangerous” speech. After Henry VI and others exit, Margaret sits on the throne. Then during York’s speech, on “the next for me,” he places his hand on the throne. The throne is really at the center of the play, and is in the center of the stage.

When hearing of Gloucester’s death, Henry VI falls to the floor, his crown coming off his head and rolling away from him, a perfect image. And then Bridget Garwood is fantastic as Margaret when telling Henry VI to look upon her, and throughout that scene. Margaret falls to her knees to beg on behalf of Suffolk, and remains there as Henry VI and others exit. It isn’t until she says “Give me thy hand” to Suffolk that she gets up, using Suffolk’s support to rise from her knees. On “And take my heart with thee,” she pulls him close for another kiss.

There is a good amount of humor in the production too, as in the delightful scene of the husband who claims to have undergone a miracle, and also when York delivers the complicated and convoluted line of reasoning leading to his claim to the throne. Jonathan Fisher does an excellent job with those speeches. The combat between the two possible villains also contains a good deal of humor. And there is a lot of humor in the Jack Cade scenes. Shakespeare is always relevant, and it the Jack Cade scenes that speak most strongly to the strange times we are experiencing. The bit where his followers consider being educated a crime certainly rings true, for a certain portion of our population is clearly and sadly in that camp even today. A segment of our population celebrates ignorance, and one of our two political parties capitalizes on that, just as Jack Cade aims to do in this play. And the scene showing how easily the people are led and misled also calls to mind those citizens who digest FOX News and believe whatever it is they are told in the moment. Interestingly, this production concludes the way this company’s production of Henry VI Part 1 ended, with lines from the Chorus’ speech at the end of Henry V. Henry VI speaks the last line, “That they lost France and made his England bleed.”

Henry VI Part 2 was directed by Stephanie Coltrin with Jonathan Fisher. The performance includes one fifteen-minute intermission, coming at the end of Act III. There are only two more performances, which are this coming weekend. Visit the theatre’s website for more information. Little Fish Theatre is located at 777 Centre Street in San Pedro, California.