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American Players Theatre takes on epic Henry IV

Lindsay Christians  —  8/14/2008 11:43 am

William Shakespeare, ever-beloved, constantly produced, feted father of the English language, conceived Henry IV in two parts.

That's because, whatever else it may be, it's a very long story.

American Players Theatre has taken the halves and condensed them into one, leaning heavy on the first part when the king is healthy and his heir apparent is a drunken disappointment.

Focusing on the father-son relationship makes the most of the characters' humanity.

It's the first of many wise choices made by veteran APT director James Bohnen, whose tight, swiftly paced staging results in a three-and-a-half hour production that seldom feels laborious.

Henry IV tells the story of Henry (or Hal), the Prince of Wales, and his rocky ascent to the throne. The king (James Ridge) frets about this eldest son (Matt Schwader), who spends his time in taverns in the company of criminals.

In sharp contrast are the heroic actions of young Henry Percy, or "Hotspur" (David Daniel); the king wishes the boys had been switched at birth.

Prince Hal, however, has calculated that a miraculous reformation will attract more attention than a life of continuous virtue. He takes advice from another father figure: the unapologetically corrupt Falstaff (brilliantly played -- no exaggeration -- by Brian Mani).

Mani embodies the life of the play, tossing pearls of wisdom between swigs of "sack" (now known as sherry). It is easy to see why Falstaff has nearly as many lines as Hamlet. This "sweet creature of bombast" helps break up the fighting and starkly political moments with much-needed humor.

As Percy and his allies agitate to overthrow the monarchy, the king calls Prince Hal to action. The company treats us to some well-choreographed fight scenes, most notably the crucial confrontation between Hal and Percy.

David Daniel plays Hotspur with a calculated intelligence and a temper that too often gets the better of him, recalling Sonny Corleone from "The Godfather." His relationship with his spirited wife (the fine Carrie A. Coon) is utterly believable, demonstrating one of the best reasons not to produce Shakespeare "authentically."

Schwader's Hal excels in his ability to navigate from cocky and self-assured to moments of true vulnerability. He ultimately recognizes the need to stand apart from the lower classes to be respected and obeyed. By the end of the play we understand that something in the young prince has hardened, only partly by choice.

The costumes, meticulously designed by Fabio Toblini, include detailed patterns, modified "pumpkin pants" and somewhat distracting codpieces (a cup made of cloth situated on the outside of nearly every male's costume).

It's hard not to think about how warm they must be when, especially when looking at Henry Woronicz (the Earl of Westmoreland), clad entirely in leather.

Also worth mentioning is Lindsay Jones' music, perfectly timed and pitched to the dramatic action onstage. At each break, militaristic melodies swelled from the speakers, setting the tone for the coming scene.

By the end of about two and a half hours, the audience does start to get fidgety. However, this version of Henry IV: The Making of a King is so well-directed, my guess is you'll be surprised at how quickly the evening ends.

IF YOU GO

Henry IV:The Making of a King runs in repertory through Sept. 20 at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, WI.

Ticket prices start at $36. For more information, visit www.playinthewoods.org or call (608) 588-7401.

Lindsay Christians  —  8/14/2008 11:43 am