Review: HENRY VI: REBELLION and WARS OF THE ROSES, RSC

Photo credit: Ellie Kurttz

This season at the RSC marks the ending of a truly epic project involving a cast of 118, spanning decades of Tudor History and three years of our time. When plans to stage Henry VI Parts 1, 2 and 3 were dashed by the pandemic, the company opened their rehearsal room doors for a live streamed reading of Part 1 and waited until now to stage re imaginings of Parts 2 and 3 on the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage, with the option to watch either one or both shows in the same day.

Being invited to experience the whole story in one day; six hours of theatre with a couple of hours break in between (similar to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), we had an absolutely wonderful time with the opportunity to explore Stratford as well. We'd recommend taking in both shows if that option is available to you.

Henry VI: Rebellion ...

The first of the two shows is more an exploration of systems of power and, as with any political Shakespeare, a modern audience views the writing with much a different eye to that of when it was written. It's impossible not to compare the courts shown on stage to the cabinets of today. As characters explore what it means to be "in power" and how quickly the balance of power can change. At a time when the divine right of kings is being questioned, who can really decide who is in charge?

As we open on a very orderly, stylised set (designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis) that is symmetrical and tidy, across the intervals, and indeed Wars Of The Roses, the stage slowly falls apart, the throne sinks into the ground as what was once a political disagreement, escalates into an all out war and characters begin to fight not only for their beliefs or the good of the country, but for their own selfish desire for a title. With the projection design, at times reminiscent of a boxing match, creating epic silhouettes on a curtain of chainmail.

For those worried about the scale and complexity of following a Shakespeare such as this, you need not worry, our reviewer, Callum (18) was able to pick up on every plot point thanks to excellent direction from Owen Horsley and each cast members' performance. This production is refreshing and not pretentious in the slightest, remaining accessible to both long time fans of Shakespeare and those looking to give something new a try. Unique and, at times, surprising choices keep us engaged throughout and carry momentum throughout the whole day.

As Gloucester, Richard Cant is perfectly cunning, softly spoken yet strong in resolve until the bitter end. Mark Quartley acts as the linchpin of the entire story, Henry himself. His arc across both shows is visible in his facial expressions alone. Before he even says a word, it is clear to the audience what the troubled king is going through. This patient performance pays off excellently in Part 3.

Wars of the Roses ...

If "Rebellion" was a war in words, this epic conclusion is very much a war in violence. Said to be the the most bloody Shakespeare play, this production certainly delivers upon that promise with a surprisingly convincing beheading within the first five minutes. This, and many other moments of violence, come courtesy of fight directors Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown.

Battle has well and truly broken out within the story and yet, with direction from Horsley and a simple but effective lighting design by Simon Spencer, that slices through the scenes much like the swords themselves, to make clear each characters journey through the melee of war.

The cast remains much the same as the previous show with the welcome addition of Arthur Hughes (Richard, Duke of Gloucester) giving a convincing performance of someone who is always acting on ulterior motives. It's excellent and enjoyable to track given the use of dramatic irony within Shakespeare's work.

What is incredibly interesting, in both shows, but mostly in Wars Of The Roses, is the use of live capture of performance. The pandemic meant most companies needed to learn how to film and broadcast productions yet what we are seeing now is the use of cameras and live broadcasting self contained within the show itself. Actors have the freedom to wander the entire Royal Shakespeare Theatre and be broadcast back onto the stage, adding to the boxing match-style atmosphere of the piece.

This also allows for truly unique staging choices to be made as actors are no longer bound to "face the audience". They can hide behind things, be filmed and observed from different angles. It truly is an excellent addition to staging and is a technique that we hope is developed further in the future to be used in more productions.

The RSC has once again achieved something truly epic, special and eye opening in their adaptation of this historical Shakespeare piece and one that revels in not giving audiences a specific point of view. It leaves you to consider how it echoes the leaders of today. And that is the best kind of theatre: almost a true 50/50 between actor and audience.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Callum Wallace

Henry VI: Rebellion and Wars of the Roses play at the RSC until 28 May and 4 June respectively, with tickets available here.