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With his crown under threat from enemies both foreign and domestic, Henry IV prepares for war. Having deposed the previous king, he is only too aware how tenuous his position is, and the price to be paid if he falters. As his father prepares to defend his crown, Prince Hal is languishing in the taverns and brothels of London, revelling in the company of his friend, the notorious Sir John Falstaff. With the onset of the war, Hal and Falstaff are thrust into the brutal reality of the battlefield, where Hal must confront his responsibilities to family and throne.
'Shakespeare's two greatest plays have always been a defining experience for RSC directors. Gregory Doran now puts his decisive seal on the company by offering a production that, like last year's Richard II, combines richness of texture with psychological insight. It also contains a major performance from Antony Sher as Falstaff.
'But, although Sher's is the dominant performance, everything in Doran's production bespeaks long-range planning. Jasper Britton's fine Henry IV is a tormented usurper, first seen prostrate in self-abasing prayer, capable of volcanic violence: his brutal treatment of Trevor White's bolshie Hotspur in the opening scenes explains the ensuing rebellion.' (The Guardian)
Royal Shakespeare Company
Henry IV: Jasper Britton
Falstaff: Antony Sher
Hal: Alex Hassell
Hotspur: Trevor White
Earl of Northumberland/Earl of Douglas: Sean Chapman
Earl of Westmoreland: Youssef Kerkour
Prince John: Elliot Barnes-Worrell
Director: Gregory Doran
Designer: Stephen Brimson Lewis
Lighting: Tim Mitchell
Music: Paul Englishby
Movement: Michael Ashcroft
Recorded live at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Plus: Director's commentary / Cinema Films / Meet the Cast / Cast Gallery
Picture: 16:9
Sound: PCM 2.0 / DTS-HD 5.1 MA
Format: NTSC
Region code: All regions
Running time: 168+21 mins
Subtitles: EN/FR/DE
Year: 2014
