I've now been to see Henry IV part one at Shakespeare's Globe and I'm more than ever convinced that Roger Allam's performance as Falstaff is one of the unmissable theatrical experiences of the year. People who saw the opening of the run say Allam, making his first appearance on the Globe's open-air stage, seemed a bit hesitant at first. Not any more. As one might expect from an actor who has twice won the Olivier Best Actor award, Allam is now totally in command. Since I saw him in part two, his beard has got longer and more disreputable and he delivers a masterclass in how to play Shakespearean comedy. Like Mark Rylance, who also knew how to hold the Globe audience in the palm of his hand, Allam calculates exactly how far to push the stage business and the nods and winks to the groundlings without going over the top. Shakespeare, of course, has done most of the work, but the way Allam relishes Falstaff's colourful repartee is a delight.
But the production by Dominic Dromgoole isn't just a one-man show. I was hugely impressed by Jamie Parker as Hal, shifting between the edgy banter of his son/father relationship with Falstaff, and the painful confrontation with his real father. Parker twists and turns on a stool like a wayward teenager as the king, distant and displaying a complete lack of paternal warmth, upbraids him. He conveys the ambiguous nature of Hal's submission to his father, and the edgy combination of warmth and contempt in his attitude to Falstaff. I also liked Oliver Cotton as the king, frosty and mistrustful, a politician to his fingertips. Hotspur is played very effectively by Sam Crane as a dysfunctional, violence-addicted adolescent. There's terrific backup from other members of the cast, including Barbara Marten as Mistress Quickly, William Gaunt as Worcester, Sean Kearns as Glendower, and Danny Lee Wynter as Poins.
There aren't too many performances left of these two plays, but some extra dates have been scheduled in October. If you want to see what is probably going to be the outstanding Shakespeare production of the year, go and buy a ticket. You certainly won't see a better Falstaff anywhere.
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