Alternate Title Henry IV, Part 1
Premiere World Premiere
Production Language English
Country of Origin United States
Description How can you tell the difference between what is really real and what is genuinely counterfeit? This vexing question lies at the heart of New York City Players' adventurous rendition of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part One, a delightfully wry mix of history, legend, politics, and comedy.
Directed with tremendous wit by Richard Maxwell, an Obie-winning force of the downtown theater scene known for his intriguing blend of sincerity and irony and his ability to cull revelatory performances from nonprofessional performers, this Henry thrusts the core notion of authenticity into a landscape sprawling with battle and barroom scenes, plotting nobles, a host of miscreants, and an ultimately triumphant prodigal son.
Spot-on characterizations of the disconsolate Henry, the turncoat rebel Hotspur, the seemingly unredeemable Prince Hal, and his partner in drunken debauchery and petty thievery—the inimitable Falstaff—celebrate Shakespeare's magnificent language as they illuminate one of his most venerable explorations of loyalty, hubris, and power.
Identifier 2003f.00769
