Henry IV Part One, and: Henry IV Part Two, and: The Merry Wives of Windsor

Abstract

Reviewed by: Henry IV Part One, and: Henry IV Part Two, and: The Merry Wives of Windsor Michael W. Shurgot Henry IV Part OnePresented by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the Thomas Theatre, Ashland, Oregon. 02 22- 10 28, 2017. Directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz. Set by Adam Rigg. Costumes by Dede M. Ayite. Lighting by Yi Zhao. Composer and sound design by Palmer Hefferan. Fights by Christopher DuVal. With Jeffrey King ( King Henry IV), Daniel José Molina (Prince Hal), G. Valmont Thomas/ Tyrone Wilson (Falstaff), Tyrone Wilson/ Buzz Frazer (Northumberland, Sheriff), Michael Gabriel Goodfriend (Poins, Mortimer, Douglas), Robert Vincent Frank (Westmorland, Bardolph), Jeremy Gallardo ( Prince John, Francis), Lauren Modica (Peto, Glendower), Nemuna Ceesay (Lady Percy, Vernon), Michele Mais (Mistress Quickly), Alejandra Escalante (Hotspur), Kimberly Scott (Worcester), Moses Villarama (Sir Walter Blunt, Gadshill), Rachel Kostrna (Lady Mortimer). Henry IV Part TwoPresented by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the Thomas Theatre, Ashland, Oregon. 07 4- 10 29, 2017. Directed by Carl Cofield. Set by Adam Rigg. Costumes by Dede M. Ayite. Lighting by Alan C. Edwards. Composer and sound design by Elisheba Ittoop. Fights by U. Jonathan Toppo. With Jeffrey King (King Henry IV, Fang, Bullcalf), Daniel José Molina (Prince Hal, King Henry V), G. Valmont Thomas/ Tyrone Wilson (Falstaff), Kimberly Scott (Archbishop York, Pistol, Mouldy), Tyrone Wilson/ Ted Lange (Northumberland, Snare, Warwick), Michael Gabriel Goodfriend (Poins, Hastings, Collevile, Travers), Robert Vincent Frank (Westmorland, Bardolph), Jeremy Gallardo (Prince John, Francis, Morton, Wart), Lauren Modica (Peto, Justice Silence, Mowbray), Alejandra Escalante (Rumor, Doll Tearsheet, Davy, Clarence), Richard Elmore (Justice Shallow, Lord Bardolph, Drawer), Nemuna Ceesay (Lady Percy, Gower, Gloucester, Shadow), Robin Goodrin Nordli (Lady Northumberland, Lord Chief Justice, Feeble, Harcourt), Michele Mais (Mistress Quickly, Porter), Yi Shostrom (Page to Falstaff). The Merry Wives of WindsorPresented by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the Allen Elizabethan Theatre, Ashland, Oregon. 06 6- 10 13, 2017. Directed by Dawn Monique Williams. Set by Regina Garcia. Costumes by Ulises Alcala. Lighting by Jennifer Schriever. Composer and sound design by Paul James Prendergast. Sign Coach/ASL Translator Monique Holt. Fights by U. Jonathan Toppo. With KT Vogt (Falstaff), Vilma Silva (Mistress Page), Paul Juhn (Master Page), Jamie Ann Romero (Anne Page), Amy Newman (Mistress Ford), Rex Young (Master Ford), Catherine Castellanos (Mistress Quickly), Sara Bruner (Sir Hugh Evans), Jeremy Peter Johnson (Doctor Caius), Tony DeBruno (Justice Shallow), Cristofer Jean (Slender), Will Dao (Peter Simple), William DeMeritt (Fenton), U. Jonathan Toppo (Bardolph), Al Espinosa (Pistol), Christopher Salazar (Nym), Hyunmin Rhee (John Rugby), Howie Seago (Host of the Garter), Tatiana Lofton (William Page, Robin), and others. [End Page 358] In 2017 the Oregon Shakespeare Festival expanded its laudable commitment to innovative multicultural, multiracial, and gender-busting stagings of Shakespeare's plays. The season featured an African-American Falstaff, Latino Hal, and several female actors in male roles in the Henry IVplays, including the Lord Chief Justice, Feeble, Justice Silence, Worcester, Archbishop York, and most notably a female Hotspur; a female Falstaff and the deaf actor Howie Seago in Merry Wives; intriguing doubling that ignored traditional gender roles; and generous mixing of ethnicities among the oh-so-English Windsorites. The season was also replete with astonishing directors' concepts that, especially in the Henryplays, roiled traditionalists' expectations about the plays while forging new insights into Shakespeare's characters. [End Page 359] Although the directors for the two Henryplays were different, Adam Rigg designed the set for both plays. Two distinct features appeared in both. To the left of where I sat, high above the same elaborate red throne from last season's production of Richard II, hung a huge triptych such as one might see in a medieval cathedral. The middle panel was a painting of King Henry IV, crowned, robed, haloed, carrying a scepter, and gazing out over a troubled kingdom divided by court and tavern. The panel to Henry's left glowed in splendid light, but the one to his right was torn, suggesting visually perhaps his ragged country and tenuous hold on power. By Part Two, the halo around Henry's head was larger and bedecked with jewels, and the tear in the panel to the King's right was repaired and now...