It was to Stratford-upon-Avon, birth- and death-place of Shakespeare, that we went this weekend. The ultimate cause was my birthday, but the proximate cause was to see a play. As it turns out, the only thing showing at this time of year is Henry VI, Part II, playing at the Courtyard Theatre, because they’re tearing down the main theatre and anyway, it’s low season.

It looks to me as if low season in Stratford means that the streets are merely busy, rather than utterly clogged with tourists. It certainly is a town geared towards tourism, but for the most part, rather successfully.

I must admit I was a little unsure what to expect from the play. I think I’ve seen the Kenneth Branagh version of Henry V, but for the most part have stayed away from the histories. I was pleasantly surprised.

The production is a long one—clocking out at over 3 hours with an interval mid-way—but it never became boring. The set was simple, but the stage itself was built out into the stalls area, and the production made marvellous use of space. There were ladders rising up from walkways to the circle (first balcony), which the actors regularly used for entrances and exits. We were seated in the circle, about five feet from one of these ladders.

It brought home to me the real advantages of theatre over television or cinema. I realise now that all the most memorable productions I’ve seen have used the space of the theatre in an interesting way, with as great a range of effects as a movie director might use a camera angle or long take. I recall a production of The Tempest in London, starring Ian McDiarmid as Prospero. It was the last production before they completely renovated the building, and they seemed almost to spend what was left of the theatre in a fantastic last hurrah; the centerpiece was an enormous pool of water from which Ariel would rise to stand, sprite-like, upon the surface of the water.

The highlight of the first half of Henry VI, Part II) was the banishment of Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester (Maureen Beattie), for witchcraft. Her last speech was delivered with such fury that I felt as guilty as Gloucester (Richard Cordery) did at disavowing his wife. Katy Stephens’ performance as Queen Margaret also stood out, though her almost slavering scheming and ambition seemed a little over-the-top at times.

After the first half of the play we were unsure whether another round of the same would be as enjoyable. But we needn’t have worried. The scenes with Jack Cade (John Mackay as a vicious, prancing dandy) and his mad band of followers were a fun diversion from the otherwise-relentless drama. It was just enough to let us catch our breath before the blunt violence of the final scenes of open warfare between the weak-willed King Henry (Chuk Iwuji) and the cautiously ambitious Richard of York (Clive Wood).

All in all, a production to be recommended, even for those whom would not count themselves as fans of the Histories.