This play for me is a bridge play. The next one is also a bridge play. They are useful connectors between Richard II which I love and Henry V which I love.
They don’t have a ton going for them except for some fun characters like Falstaff and Henry Percy.
In this play we see the old and insecure Henry IV, who in the last play was Bolingbrook, struggle with national insecurity and a disappointing heir.
His disappointing heir Henry V, here called Princess Hal, hangs out with a bad crowd and gets up to lawless self indulgence. Hal says this is so that when later he ‘reforms’ the world will stand amazed. Henry IV sees too much deposed Richard in his son.
King Henry IV admires young Henry Percy, called hotspur, and wishes that his Henry were more like that Henry.
Unfortunately Henry Percy does what Henry Bolingbrook did and throws a rebellion. So the King has to put him down.
To prove himself an honorable heir, prince Hal takes on his rival and kills him.
Henry IV pt 1 is a pretty light-on-plot play with some great characters and good lines.
Henry Percy, when played well, is engaging and hot headed and captivating.
Some of the wives and women are interesting.
But really this play is all about Falstaff.
Falstaff is irredeemable and funny. He’s full of drunken failure and cowardice and lovability.
I’ve seen him played funny and I’ve seen him played risible but in the Hollow Crown he is pitiable.
He is old and fat and corrupt and a tragic father figure for Hal who mostly has inward focused Bolingbrook and his disappointment to contend with.
Hal knows he’s about to leave the world of frivolity behind and regrets it. You always feel that.
Hiddleston does a wonderful job of portraying it.
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