The stage has a few different levels, and the area in front of the stage is reserved for the action as well, adding yet another level, and the company makes great use of it from the performance’s opening moments, as Falstaff and his companions enter. Interestingly, as they enter, they sing Feste’s song from the end of Twelfth Night, all of them joining in on the line “For the rain it raineth every day.” Falstaff takes center stage, the others naturally gathering around him. It’s an interesting way of beginning the play, and as they quiet down on the lower levels, Henry IV enters and takes center stage above them, and we hear lines from Richard The Second that clearly still haunt him, including “God save the King! Will no man say ‘amen’?” and “tell sad stories of the death of kings.” It is a striking opening, and what follows is actually a scene from Act IV of The Second Part Of King Henry The Fourth, in which the king is assured that his son Prince Hal is but studying his companions and when the time is right will cast off his followers. We then go to the second scene of The First Part Of King Henry The Fourth, with Prince Hal waking and then waking the snoring Falstaff. There is a nice moment when Mistress Quickly (Megan Ruble) puts out her hand for payment, and Falstaff gently pushes her open hand toward Hal. This production’s Mistress Quickly is younger than usual, but also wise, and she is immediately likeable. When Falstaff says “I must give over this life,” he delivers the line with a sincere tone, which is interesting and gives us a brief glimpse of his future.
When Hotspur and the others enter to speak with Henry IV, Hotspur sits while everyone else remains standing, a choice that sets him apart. Is his aim to show disrespect or just to keep his cool? He then rises on his first line, “My liege, I did deny no prisoners.” Jonathan Fisher is excellent here, and after Henry IV exits and Hotspur feels freer to rant, he is even more fun to watch. It’s impossible to dislike him as he goes on about teaching a starling to say nothing but “Mortimer” to torment the king. And speaking of characters that would be impossible to dislike, the action then returns to Falstaff and company. And though Falstaff is their leader, the others still have fun at his expense. Early in the scene, when he calls out to Poins (Peter Green), Bardolph (Caleb Fietsam) and Peto (Melissa Ortiz), each responds with a little noise from his hiding spot, a humorous bit of business that conveys a sense of joviality among the group. The robbery of the travelers is done quickly and is funny, as you’d expect. When the group next enters, they playfully engage with an audience member in the front, urging him to drink with them and cheering him when he obliges. Falstaff is such a delightful storyteller, weaving a great tale of how he fought off a large group of thieves. And it seems no one takes as much delight in his story as does Prince Hal himself, and we feel that this is the very reason why Poins and Prince Hal played the trick on him in the first place. Falstaff’s reaction when he learns the truth is wonderful. Trevor Guyton is also excellent in this scene. When Falstaff asks him if he’s not afraid to have Hotspur and Glendower as enemies, Hal’s pause before answering “Not a whit” shows that he knows just how serious the situation is. We can see his thoughts before he answers, for within that pause there is a moment where Prince Hal considers answering honestly and thus perhaps putting an end to their good fun, and decides against it. In that pause, we see that these companions are not as close to him as they might believe. And in that pause we catch an image of the future. It’s a fantastic moment. There is another wonderful moment when Falstaff, acting as Henry IV, with a cushion as a crown, begins to describe himself in somewhat glowing terms. When he finally says “his name is Falstaff,” the others all shout out “Falstaff” with him, playfully joining the game while also poking fun at him. Prince Hal allows himself another meaningful pause before delivering the portentous line, “I do, I will.”
As you might expect from an adaptation that contains two plays, there is a bit of reordering of scenes and moments. For example, Henry IV’s “How many thousand of my poorest subjects” speech from the third act of Henry IV Part 2 occurs just before Act II Scene iv of Henry IV Part 1. During that speech, Henry IV removes his crown, and then puts it on again just before that speech’s great final line, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” Where Jane Macfie especially shines as Henry IV are the scenes between the king and Prince Hal, the father-and-son scenes. The audience truly feels for him in those moments, particularly in the scene where Henry IV expresses concern that Hal is not following the example set by him. It is not anger, but concern for his son when it is his time to ascend the throne, that drives his speech, and that makes all the difference. We see a father there, not a king. And we see the understanding in Hal’s expression. That scene is particularly moving in this production. As Hal’s relationship with his father grows stronger, that with Falstaff weakens. And the line that stands out as being Falstaff’s undoing is his “Dost thou think I’ll fear thee as I fear thy father?” It is especially striking coming so soon after the conversation between Hal and Henry IV, when Hal is thinking seriously about casting aside his youthful indiscretions. We see Prince Hal’s changing attitude again in his reaction to Poins’ “I would think thee a most princely hypocrite.” His expression shows understanding, and some determination. Peter Green is also excellent in this scene as Poins, and is particularly touching when saying, “those two things I confess I cannot help.” For a production that packs two plays into two hours, it does not in any way sacrifice the human relationships contained within them, and somehow manages to heighten them.
The main relationships in this production, as mentioned, are the two father-and-son relationships that Hal experiences, but there is another relationship that stands out, and that is between Hotspur and his wife Kate (Savannah Moffat). It is from Kate that we get a better idea of Hotspur’s character. She brings out a different side of him, and we witness true affection and companionship. Their scenes together are excellent, and it is through Kate’s eyes that we come to like Hotspur more. Another moment when we can’t help but love Hotspur is when he replies to the ridiculous bragging of Glendowar, who has just claimed he can call spirits. Hotspur says, “Why so can I, or so can any man/But will they come when you do call for them?” It is then that it occurs to us that were the circumstances different, Hotspur and Prince Hal could have been great friends. This production has Kate present in the aftermath of the battle and Hotspur’s death, allowing for a touching moment when Prince Hal hands her Hotspur’s handkerchief, showing the respect he had for Hotspur and the compassion he has for her.
When Prince Hal looks out at the audience and asks Falstaff about the identity of the people he sees, Falstaff tells them they are his men. Hal describes them (and so us) as “pitiful rascals.” It is a funny moment, but also true, for we do feel ourselves to be aligned with Falstaff, to be his men. And so at the end when Hal, now crowned Henry V, rebukes Falstaff, our hearts go out to the knight. His ache is ours. We in the audience end up feeling strongly for both of Hal’s father figures. There is a great moment when the speech of Worcester (DeMarcus Brooks) angers Henry IV, who puts his hand on his sword as if to draw it. Prince Hal goes to his father’s side to calm him, to keep him from acting rashly. We see the changing relationship clearly in that moment. At the end of that scene, Prince Hal and Falstaff embrace, and by Hal’s expression we fear it might be their last such embrace. There is another touching moment when Prince Hal believes Falstaff to be dead. It is interesting that Shakespeare also provides a scene when Hal believes his father to be dead. In that speech, several lines are cut, so that “My gracious lord! my father!” directly follows “majesty!” and thus reminds us of Hamlet’s words to the Ghost of his own father when trying to conjure a response: “I’ll call thee Hamlet/King, father.” It’s also interesting because these two scenes give Hal a chance to see how his life might be without his two father figures. Henry IV takes back his crown on “Up, vanity!” So then on Prince Hal’s “There is your crown,” he points to it. Jane Macfie is phenomenal in this scene. The look Henry IV gives Prince Hal as Hal helps him away is so tender that it is nearly heartbreaking.
The final scene to feature Mistress Quickly, Falstaff and the others begins as did the opening scene, with them singing. While the feeling among those characters might be the same as it was then, it has a different feel for those of us in the audience, who sense what is coming. Falstaff is so joyful and excited in this scene that the audience might wish to leave right then and not witness his subsequent decline. For we have come to love Falstaff as much as Falstaff has come to love Hal. This is a fantastic production, driven by marvelous performances.
This production of Henry IV: Falstaff & The Boy Who Would Be King runs through August 3rd. There is one twenty-minute intermission, coming at the end of Act III scene iii of The First Part Of King Henry The Fourth. Tonight at the same park in South Pasadena, Shakespeare By The Sea will be performing Cardenio; Or Double Falsehood, a rarity and a special treat.
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