HENRY IV, PART ONE

The emotional core of HENRY IV, Part One is the contrast between men: between King Henry (Julian Glover), his son, Prince Hal (Jamie Glover), and the lovely fat villain, Falstaff (Richard Griffiths). All of these men dramatize their parts masterfully. There is always more to them later in a scene than earlier, and as they interact with one another, different facets of their character are revealed through shifts in delivery that match the imagery in Shakespeare's verse. Even in the heat of battle or the middle of a saloon, with swords clashing or tankards clanking to set the scene, all the voices come through clearly. G.T.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]