Henry V (The Public Theater)

See it if you want a fast-paced, trimmed HV, w/impressive Zenzi Wms as Henry. Lots of directorial flourishes. Humor. Staged in the round. Spare.

Don't see it if you want to get every word. Heavy French accents (ugh) & too much shouting (it echoes). New approach to wooing scene undermines WS's intent.

Also I love the mobile unit works...and there was much to enjoy and admire in HV. I especially liked the bold casting of Williams in the title role. But too many words got lost in accents and booming voices. And I didn't like the re-imaging of the HV and Catherine seduction scene. I saw RSC do it and it was charming. This version made Henry into a villain, instead of a lovesick fellow. When we've seen so much good in Henry, why ruin it so close to the end? Still, I enjoyed the evening and appreciate the free ticket.... Read more Read less

See it if If you like a different spin to this play, it was well directed, well acted.

Don't see it if confusing at times, a different rendition to the traditional Henry V.

See it if O'Hara undercuts his white hot 'masculine' staging using non-gender casting & sexual politics Volitile & edgy with audience as battlefield

Don't see it if Phenomenal performance by Zenzi Williams as Henry despite choppy rhythms French court as pack of fops lands flat Duel casting confusion

See it if You love all things Shakespeare no matter what.

Don't see it if You want to see some action instead of long drawn out speeches and a rude take on the French with no redeeming quality.

See it if you’ll settle. Show’s fine for hearing the famous lines aloud but doesn’t get across why this play is loved (& unclear if it’s intentional).

Don't see it if you want hardcore theater, for grand speech to logically correspond to grand events; miss the ingenuity of Mobile Unit’s Twelfth Night.

Also They say it’s war but it just never really feels like it. Without high stakes, conquer-lust, or a sense of fighting against the odds, Henry’s a cipher (actually all the English chars lack individuality). The rousing speeches seem to happen without provocation. Direction feels slack, story made thin. Maybe commenting on how uninvested political leaders are in their engineered conflicts? Or on intransigent black strength vs yelping white weakness? Or just a muddled Henry V? Farce & uncalled for falsetto distract from absent momentum but overall the artsy defiance of convention isn’t controlled toward a powerful effect. Death underplayed, dance overplayed.

Wish O’Hara, an inventive playwright, rewrote the play in his radical style. This isn’t transgressive enough for O’Hara fans, nor substantive enough for Shkspr fans. If I didn’t know better I’d think H5 was one of the minor works. Great play, usually entertaining actors, decorated director…it just didn’t come together.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy Shakespeare at it's minimalistic bottom. Great casting choices, multiple roles for all. short and sweet

Don't see it if you are a traditionalist and don't welcome unique casting choices and interpretation

See it if Great acting of a diverse cast, but hard to follow loose plot

Don't see it if Fake accents + ye olde English + acoustic issues make it hard to hear lines. I understood more plot from the acting than the dialogue.

Also Free ticket from online lottery.

See it if You like seeing new takes on Shakespeare that are fun and different.

Don't see it if You're a purist. You get annoyed with over-acting.

See it if You would like a upbeat, speedy Henry, with appealing young actors and free tickets.

Don't see it if You don't want to wait a long time on line for those free tickets. There are some issues understanding the text at times.

See it if You enjoy Shakespeare. Want to see a rather comical rendering of Henry V.

Don't see it if Are apt to dislike more comical interpretations of Shakespeare's works.

Also This is about as accessible as a Shakespeare drama can get. Which is neither a good nor bad thing. In fact, given the Public's mission, that might be a merit.

It is certainly funny throughout, though it's poignancy musical wait until the last twenty minutes or so.

The cast handles their many roles with aplomb, happily trading one hat for another with ease through the show.

It's hard to pick a standout actor, as they're all given time to shine, but perhaps Carolyn Kettig ends up taking the glory for her portrayal of Katherine.

The direction is effective, though sometimes feels a bit more like parody than earnestness.... Read more Read less

See it if You like diverse casts that cross gender lines. The house lights are on so part of the show is watching the audience reaction to the actors.

Don't see it if You prefer large, epic productions of Shakespeare - this is small and intimate. This is abridged so it's much shorter than the original.

See it if If you like Papp/Public Theater interpretations of Shakespeare in an intimate setting.

Don't see it if If you insist on a traditional interpretation. The French accents are annoying and poor choice in an otherwise interesting show.

See it if you like watching ensemble theatre where the actors interact with the audience, make bold choices and commit with 100% of their being.

Don't see it if you'll miss the war aspects of the play, characters such as Pistol and Fluellen or don't want to be yelled at by Henry for almost two hours.

Also I absolutely loved the creative and playful direction of this piece. The end "courting" scene with Katherine and Henry was so incredibly shocking that it made me reevaluate other Shakespearean dramas that sugarcoat and gloss over what it actually means to invade and take over a country and its people who are unwilling. The ensemble of actors were so incredibly fun to watch!!... Read more Read less

See it if Pros: diverse cast, new interpretation w/ rendered text, farce

Don't see it if Cons: over-acting, new interpretation...don’t think it’s better than the original, don’t like the overly comical tone

See it if you want to see a no-frills take on Henry V with some wonderful acting and clever humor

Don't see it if you're a traditionalist or can't follow the language

See it if You want to support a friend of yours who is in it.

Don't see it if You want to see Shakespeare's story done well.

See it if You like Shakespeare...but mostly if you don't!

Don't see it if No reason not to see it! Gooooo

See it if You enjoy a clever, spirited production .

Don't see it if You are expecting a traditinal version of Henry V .