CRT’s final production of their 2018-2019 season combines parts one and two of Shakespeare’s epic Henry IV. One of the Bard’s “Histories,” though truly more fiction than fact, which tells of Prince Hal’s coming of age and ascension to the throne as King Henry V. This production, directed by Madeline Sayet, a 2019 Drama League Director-in-Residence and a member of the Mohegan Tribe, highlights the personal relationships that affect and are affected by the civil wars in England. Questions of honor, loyalty, betrayal, and trust take center stage. Supported with striking set by Kristen P.E. Zarabozo and lighting by Samuel Biondolillo, which grounds us in the different locations and moods of the play. The actors truly shine, both together, and in several soliloquies.
A highlight in the show is the contrast in the relationships that King Henry IV and Falstaff have with the young Prince Hal. Many of the play’s grander themes on war are mirrored in Prince Hal’s internal struggle, aim for greatness like his father, or live free and roguish like Falstaff. Connecticut Repertory Theatre has both professional and advanced student artists involved in their productions to create a unique learning environment. In this production, King Henry IV is played by Aaliyah Haseeb and Falstaff is played by Michele Tauber, both appearing courtesy of the Actor’s Equity Association. The private moments these two characters have with Prince Hal, played by MFA student Sebastian Nagpal, are electric. Shakespeare’s foil to Prince Hal, Hotspur aka Harry Percy, is played with exploding energy by Erin Cessna, leading the rebellion against the King. Again we are able to see the personal and the political intertwined and Sayet’s core questions rehashed in someone else’s perspective. “What is honor? Why do we go to war? What do we inherit from the generation before us?”
Henry IV will run through May 5th at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the UCONN campus in Storrs, CT. Evening performances at 7:30pm on Wednesday and Thursday, and 8pm on Friday and Saturday. Matinees are at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. There will be post show discussions with members of cast and crew after May 2nd performance and the May 4th matinee. Call the box office at 860.486.2113 for tickets and additional information or visit www.crt.uconn.edu. Senior and student discounts are available.