Missy - Henry VI part I ⭐️⭐️⭐️

We begin the War of the Roses with Henry VI part 1. 

This is a play that I had neither read nor watched before today. Partly this is because I like Henry V so much and know what happened to his heir.

Henry VI part 1 is all about how the victories of Henry V fall apart. 

England loses France. 

Here we get to see Joan of Arc as an evil witch. 

Already I don’t like this as I have a special theatrical place in my heart for her. My first proper play attendance was to a very moving production of St Joan by George Bernard Shaw. I loved that play and that Joan and this version seemed so flat and cartoonishly villainous in comparison.

We also saw the downfall of Henry Vs noble brother, now the Lord Protector and regent of the young Henry VI. 

This downfall includes ham fisted cat fighting, more witchery and violent murder.

There was so much whichery that I wondered if this could be a Jacobean play, but no.

Henry VI part I also shows the disassembly of the union of the nobility, church and ruling classes that Henry V managed to hammer together in his brief rein. By the plays end the lines are drawn and the Game of Thrones backstabbing is well underway.

Henry VI part 1 also destroyed the happy romantic feel that swept me away with the courtship of Hal and Catherine, leaving the audience with a manipulative petty wife and a husband built to provoke her with piety and ignorance.

 Things I liked about this production: The Hollow Crown continues to wow me with casting, location and costuming. 

I think Henry VI (Tom Sturridge) was fantastic and really I don’t think anyone was bad…

Or not bad with the acting. 

I think maybe some of the direction was over the top but also the writing here just feels ham fisted to me. 

Analysis for this play posits that it is a very early one in Shakespeares career, maybe only his 2nd play and that could account for some of the linguistic and dramatic lack of subtlety, that I so enjoy in some of his other works.

 

There also a very strong argument that he was only the coauthor of this play, with 1-3 other playwrights heavily involved (Marlowe comes up a lot here and given all the occult stuff I buy it). 

One analysis I saw said that only about 18% of this is actually Shakespeare. 

I mostly find that reassuring as I’m not in love with this one. 

But the thing I find most compelling is this idea that in this play the violence is very show don’t tell and that feels very unShakespeare. 

I can only think of Titus as having this much Michael Bay style fight/curse/death pacing. 

Henry VI part I - 3 stars

Mom score - 0 There are a few moms here but you wouldn’t know it. It’s all witches and bitches.