henry vi review

30 | September 24, 2013 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News

It’s brash, bloody and giddily good

GRAHAM Butler, AKA TheGlobe’s Henry VI, told methat Part II of Shakespeare’s

trilogy is his favourite: “It’s soanarchic and strange, it’s almostabsurdist. It’s like [Shakespeare]strung loads of different scenes,loads of different ideas and justdrove them all in, and somehowthey’ve all melded together andmade a complete thing.”

You can definitely see what hemeans.

The first 15-20 minutes ofNick Bagnall’s stripped backproduction were spent trying todecipher the different characters,their names, their titles, theirallegiances, and settling on whichbit of history we’d been throwninto. However, almost as soonas you’d mapped out what wasgoing on in your mind, charactersstarted toppling down dead.

That makes it sound confusing,but in fact it’s pacey, complexand, once you’ve got a handle onwho is who, who loves who andwho hates who, it’s fiery, tenseand rattles along with grit andvibrancy – more so than the BBC’sThe White Queen (which picks uproughly where Part II ends).

It starts with the arrival ofQueen Margaret, full skirtedand bold, ready to marry Henryin return for territory in France,throwing the English peers intogrumbling disarray. As Margaretgathers around her a core ofsupporters, fawning over Suffolk,and dismissing her too-pioushusband, court fractures andsplits with threats; treason spreadsangrily like red wine on whitecloth.

There is much hithering andthithering, the King flees multipletimes, sides are switched, swordsare drawn, claims to the crownflare and sizzle out as black magicbubbles, heads are beheaded andwomen banished. It’s dark, goryand tautly staged but there are

crackles of humour too.The costumes – worn leathers

and lashed boots for the men andunnatural hues of purple and rubyred for royalty – are impressivelywrought, the only flashes ofcolour and softened texture ona stark stage rigged with ricketymetal ladders and scaffolding thatcages the actors in.

The second act opens with thebawdy, murderous rebel JackCade, sneering at the audience,his merry band of cutthroatfollowers yelling and guffawingfrom throughout the auditorium.At this point the play begins torace, bloodied heads roll, flashingknives open jugulars and the castgrow raucous.

Roger Evans is magnificent asthe strutting, bellowing Cade,drawing wimpers and laughs inequal measure, while Butler nailspious, pleading and innocentas the tugged and torn Henry,bending to the will of his wifeand peers, despite a desire forlove and peace. Beatriz Romillytakes bitterness and gall to sharp,clear heights as the banishedDuchess of Gloucester and you’llbe pleased to hear Richard IIIdoes make a loping, awkwardappearance (cue whispering fromthe audience).

It’s brash, bloody and giddilygood – as long as you can getstraight what is actually going on.l On a side not, this was my firstvisit to the Arts Theatre sinceits revamp. Although the boxoffice itself is barely more than acupboard, the new foyer is nowever so swish. Think white walls,huge glass doors and carpet sonew and plush it swivels your feetas you walk. And the wine glasses(yesterday was their first outing),sit heavily, decadently in yourhand. Not too shabby at all.

ella.walker@cambridge-news.co.uk

ELLA WALKER reviews Henry VI: The Housesof York and Lancaster, Cambridge Arts Theatre