By Cal
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIl4Chm_OKQ
Available until: Unknown
The final part of the Henry VI
trilogy is a triumph not just for the winner of the final battle but for the
International Actors Ensemble, Circle in the Sand, the Alex Theatre and everyone
else involved in this great series of productions.
And it isn’t over yet. Richard III
is still to come and judging from the cast list, it’s going to be great.
I haven’t mentioned it before, but I would like to say how much I like the music and sound design for these productions. David Meadows (who directs, produces and acts in the play, in addition to producing sound design) has found some lovely and very appropriate music for the opening and closing credits. The battle sounds work very well and I even really enjoyed listening to the trumpets - they’re obviously very good musicians.
Things like this really add to the
general atmosphere of the plays and the battle sounds give the production just
the tiny bit of help it needs to convince us that a fair proportion of the play
is set on the battlefield. With the noises, the weapons and blood, the injuries
and the excellent performances, the productions are brought to life on our
screens.
The plays are not without their
technical issues, but these are dealt with smoothly and professionally, with
the characters either waiting or ad-libbing brilliantly – they never stop
acting. And if I was a messenger who’d been rushing about all over the country,
I’d definitely want to stop and catch my breath – or maybe just keep the
other characters in suspense a little bit longer. But for the most part,
technology seems faultless: there’s a particularly brilliant de-crowning scene.
Amy Bradney-George is once more Henry
VI. Shakespeare puts him through the wringer yet again and he really struggles,
to the extent where I was changing my mind as much as Warwick, one moment
wanting to save the vulnerable Henry from a job that wasn’t right for him; the
next wanting anyone rather than those crazy Plantagenets in charge. Amy plays
the role of Henry with honesty, dignity, and a fragile courage that is very
touching, as well as a beautiful delivery of the text. The Act II Scene V
soliloquy is a highlight of a great production.
While we’re on the subject of soliloquies,
there’s also a brilliant one from Montgomery Sutton as Richard, Duke of
Gloucester in the following act, though this is just one of many ‘good bits’ in
an astounding performance. Monty doesn’t allow Richard to become a mere villain
– he gives him depth, a sense of humour (even if we don’t personally find him
funny), a gleefulness which is almost quite sweet, and, at one point, a
profound and moving grief. He’ll be continuing in the role for Richard III
and it’s difficult to imagine his not being brilliant. His Richard isn’t always
sympathetic (actually, he mostly isn’t), but he’s always interesting.
I’ve mentioned in both previous
reviews that Part III is the one where Warwick comes into his own and
Edgar Wegner does not disappoint. He throws himself into the role and gives a
powerful and determined performance. His Warwick clearly relishes being centre
stage; a man who has held himself in check for a long time but no longer needs to
hold back and lets his emotion and ideas burst out of him. He’s awe-inspiring
to watch, as a character and a performer. I’m not an actor, but I can imagine
being quite tempted to put everything into the role from the start to make sure
I’m noticed. I’d guess it would take quite a lot of restraint and courage to
remain under the radar a bit in Part I and move gradually out of the
shadows. It worked brilliantly.
Many other actors return to their
previous roles, with Céline Cevalan on terrifying form as Queen Margaret, who’s
better on the battlefield than a lot of the men and no less formidable in a
battle of wits. David Meadows is compelling as the Duke of York and is missed
following his departure from the play. David really has made him a driving
force through this series of plays. The future King Edward IV isn’t as
well-developed a character as his predecessor and successor, but Paul Robertson
gives him an extra prominence by showing him slowly easing into the role of
King. Hannah Harquart gives a powerfully defiant performance as Clifford.
It’s a great ending to the trilogy –
but the ending to the story is yet to come.
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