BWW Reviews: One Man HENRY V a Brisk, Wondrous Event

Though I've reviewed the Austin theatre scene for over two years now and have seen several Shakespearian productions in that time, I rarely see one that I can find no fault with. So far, it's happened only once, courtesy of Penfold Theatre's recent production of Romeo and Juliet which featured an incredible five person cast.

Austin Shakespeare's one man production of Henry V comes on the heels of the Penfold production, and it seems the key to flawless Shakespeare in Austin has been found. Less is most certainly more.

Conceived, adapted, and performed by Robert Faires, Henry V is a production that astounds from beginning to end. The production, which premiered in 2009, is certainly worthy of the revival its received.

While I can, and will, extoll the brilliance of Faires both as an adapter and performer, my theater companion summed it up quite nicely: "He was able to take the most boring of Shakespeare's histories and make it exciting." Shakespeare's text, which focuses on Henry V's rein during the Hundred Years War, is definitely of the dryer variety. There's a lot of political angling and talk, but no battle scenes, something problematic for a play about war. The result, when in the wrong hands, is a tediously long and boring play.

This production however, is nowhere close to long or boring. At 75 minutes with no intermission, Henry V may be the shortest production of Shakespeare you're bound to see in your lifetime. Of course, the short running time means that judicious cuts have been made, but despite the missing material, the overall plot and story remain intact.

The shortness of the piece also makes for an incredibly brisk pace, made all the more spirited by Faires himself. He jumps, leaps, and runs all over the Rollins Studio Theatre. Armed with nothing but a bench, some water, a bowl, an apple, and the inspired direction of Catherine Weidner, he's able to create a world at war. He also skillfully creates a wide array of characters. His Chorus (which opens the show by imploring the audience to use their "imaginary forces," an idea which no doubt inspired this imaginative interpretation) is personable and conversational. His take on the French is a bit more comical and snooty, somewhat a caricature of the French as seen through a British lens. But it's Faire's interpretation of the title character that deserves the most discussion. Henry, who is personified as wild through most of Shakespeare's plays in which he is present, is more calculating and cunning here. He's always plotting and always one step ahead of France. Yet for all his smarts in battle and politics, he has his moments of humanity, particularly in his comical attempt at wooing Princess Catherine of France.

There's no doubt that performing Shakespeare is daunting for any performer. Doing it without the safety net of other performers has to be downright terrifying. It stands to reason that Faires must be as fearless as Henry V himself. While other performers would be petrified by the idea of performing a Shakespearian play as a solo piece, Faires revels in it, as he should. This piece is clearly a gift to both the performer and the audience.

Running time: 75 minutes, no intermission.

HENRY V, produced by Austin Shakespeare, plays the Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center for the Performing Arts (701 W. Riverside Dr, Austin 78704) now thru September 14th. For tickets and information, please visit www.austinshakespeare.org

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