HENRY V SUMMARY
Henry V is not a true comedy, but also not a tragedy. It is perhaps Shakespeare's purest 'history' play. It depicts events leading up to the Battle of Agincourt (1415) and England's victory over France in 1420. It is a play that consciously dissects the process of historical myth-making and examines the intersection between militarism and nationalism. While the Chorus portrays a very 'Lives of Great Men' mode of history-telling, the action of the play shows us more of the everyday people who make Henry's victories possible and the destructive consequences Henry's military campaigns have for their lives. It asks the question of what kind of responsibility those in power have towards the people they have power over.
As written the play has 53 characters in total. I aim to do this with a minimal cast of about 14 actors by conflating some parts and using some conspicuous doubling. The part of Henry V will not be doubled, but most of the other actors will need to take on several (not small) roles. This makes it an exciting challenge for actors who will need to find ways to clearly communicate the different personas of their characters. The parts tend towards the masculine, but I intend to take a somewhat gender-blind approach to casting.
Nicole Davall, Director
MAJOR ROLES
English nobility:
King Henry V
Duke of Gloucester (Henry's brother)
Duke of Exeter (Henry's Uncle)
Duke of York
The English:
Mistress Quickly
Pistol
Barmouth
Nym
Boy
Captain Fluellan (Welsh actually)
Captain Gower
The French:
The King
The Dauphin
The Constable of France
Duke of Orleans
Duke of Brittany
Princess Katherine