Royal Shakespeare Company: Henry IV Part 1

DescriptionFollowing his production of Richard II in October 2013, RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran continues his exploration of Shakespeare's history plays with Henry IV Parts I and II, an epic, comic and thrilling vision of a nation in turmoil.RSC Associate Artist Antony Sher returns to the Company to play the infamous comic knight Falstaff. He is joined by Jasper Britton as Henry IV and Alex Hassell as Prince Hal. Jasper returns following his performance as the Marquis de Sade in Marat/Sade (2011); Alex returns to the RSC following his recent credits in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cardenio and The City Madam.With his crown under threat from enemies both foreign and domestic, Henry IV prepares for war. Having deposed the previous king, he is only too aware of the tenuousness of his position, and of the price to be paid if he falters.As his father prepares to defend his crown, Prince Hal is languishing in the taverns and brothels of London, revelling in the company of his friend, the notorious Sir John Falstaff.With the onset of the war, Hal and Falstaff are thrust into the brutal reality of the battlefield, where Hal must confront his responsibilities to family and throne.