SHAKESPEARE | Henry V

[Music] [Applause] [Music] Londyn somewhere between $15.99 and 1605 a humble stage is about to be transformed into the setting in which Shakespeare will tell the story of the greatest hour of England's most perfect King the curtains pull back and we meet the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Eli there are discussing xand politics for complementing the maturing of a wild Prince he'll into the sober King Henry the King arrives and wants to discuss his legal right to the French throne to smite the claim being flimsy at best the clerics argue the case satisfying the King that he has the right a French envoy arrives making light of Henry's claim and giving a gift which the Dhahran believes suits Henry's maturity Henry is not amused and promises to turn the tennis balls into something of more substance in the first of a few scenes we meet some regulars in a pub old drinking powers of Prince hell the King not been so wild now these characters really don't have any relevance to the story meanwhile in Southampton Westmoreland Bedford Exeter and the King discussed the conspirators scroop cambridge and gray these conspirators now arrive but they don't know that the King knows about their treachery so that the conspirators condemn themselves Shakespeare has Henry handled the case of someone caught on a minor offense the King pardons him but the conspirators argue that all offenses must be charged and no mercy should be shown the King counters that if he treats all crimes the same how will he punish serious crimes speaking of which the conspirators are now showing proof of their betrayal to which they confess and then ask for mercy you see how this goes despite the noble King not wanting them to die he has no choice and they have condemned themselves back to the Riddler's who are mourning the loss of one of their party sir john falstaff they resolved to go on campaign to France in the French ports the king and the constable of France are arguing with the Dohan urging him to take this English invasion seriously what becomes apparent is that the fringe confidence means they are woefully unprepared Exeter arrives in the French Court to ask their surrender after thinking about it overnight Exeter is told to offer a few dukedoms to Henri and the hand of the king's daughter that is not enough meanwhile a wild battle outside the town of Hoffler is going on Henri seeing his tired and demoralized troops motivates them while this inspires most a few of the familiar wrigglers are not as willing to risk their lives regardless of how noble this causes seeing as no relief has come from the Dorf on the governor of the town surrenders Exeter is left in command and instructed to practice mercy elsewhere Catherine the daughter of the French King decides to learn English in the French Court everybody is unimpressed with everybody else and the King instructs every noble to go to battle with the English except for the doe phone who is to remain with him the DOE phone isn't bothered and goes anyway we'll encounter him in the fringe camp going on about his horse we then switched between the confident fringe camp and the troubled and tied English camp the worried English King disguises himself and goes among his troops to take in the mood a little touch of Henry in the night for contrasting effect the doe phone is still going on about this horse of his immediate preparations for battle had begun Gloucester Bedford Exeter Salisbury and Westmoreland look on with a sombre expression they're tired and severely outnumbered souls B goes to check on the Marnell battle preparations and Henry overhears the conversation between his Nobles he bids them to wish not one man more and that anyone who does not have the stomach for this fight will be given a free pass out he promises fame and glory to everyone who fights with him and who will be remembered forever on this the feast of Crispin Salisbury returns to inform them that the French are ready and the French Herald himself arrives to ask for Henry's surrender before he will certainly be beaten the French are given a determined know finally New York has given command of the battle and final preparations begin in the midst of the battle we see the contrasting fortunes of those involved the French was so hopeless that one is even captured by the Riddler's that we met earlier the French leadership looks on hopelessly as they just can't make their numbers count and Henry realizes that his English are doing well though he is saddened to hear of New York's brave death been told that French reinforcements have arrived Henry orders the execution of French prisoners meanwhile the French have struck a low blow and killed boys at the back of the English luggage convoy and Greene Henry and his men the French envoy Mountjoy arrives and informs the English of the victory Henry's rages calms and he christens the battle for the town nearby Asian Corps the scene closes with a tally of the battle losses comparatively minor losses for the English while utter catastrophe for the French the English resolved that they are satisfied and will now go home to England now the play could have ended there especially in Brenna's 1989 movie production ending with Henry marching across the battlefield while his men chant non nobis and he arrives finally on the other side and stands triumphantly beside the French flag we must bring to a close the pointless subplots of the Riddler's from the tavern the last of them pistol leaves the battlefield still alive and resolving to devote his life to being abandoned the French port received Henri and all resolved to have a peaceful end Henri is allowed a few moments to woo Princess Catherine after which they are promised in marriage and Henri is made heir to the throne of France the curtain is drawn the narrator comes back he apologizes for trying to cover so wonderful a story on a humble stage and also promises the sequel