Henry IV - Part I
King Henry IV is preparing for war and is prepared to defend his crown. But his son, Prince Hal, is too busy languishing in taverns and brothels to bother with politics. Will Hal continue to live his lavish lifestyle or will he finally confront his duty to family and throne?
At a Glance
War • English Royalty • Family • Politics
King Henry IV is preparing for war and is prepared to defend his crown. But his son, Prince Hal, is too busy languishing in taverns and brothels to bother with politics. Will Hal continue to live his lavish lifestyle or will he finally confront his duty to family and throne? Henry IV Part I follows Hal’s journey in becoming a leader and the sacrifices required for leadership.
Translated by playwright Yvette Nolan, this translation makes the political strifes and conflicts in Shakespeare’s history play clearer to modern audiences.
After the 2018 workshop of this translation, Nolan says, “I loved Henry IV Part 1 before Play On Shakespeare came calling. Three drafts in, the play was turning out to be something very different, and I wondered if I loved it still. The themes that drew me to it, the ideas about honour, about leadership, about joie de vivre, now all appeared to me a little bit corrupted. The seeds of the disease we would see in Henry IV Part 2—the reason I did not love Part 2 as I did Part 1—were now visible to me, springing up, threatening to choke my heroes, tangle their feet, foreboding a bleak and wretched future. But that is another story.”
Productions, Readings & Workshops
Paperback & eBooks
Henry IV - Part 1
By William Shakespeare
Translation by Yvette Nolan
The two-part tale of King Henry IV, rewritten with new language for the twenty-first century.
Shakespeare’s two Henry IV plays follow the exploits of King Henry IV after usurping the crown from his cousin Richard II. Featuring some of Shakespeare’s most recognizable characters such as Prince Hal and the roguish Sir John Falstaff, Henry IV, Part 1 delves into complicated questions of loyalty and kingship on and off the battlefield. Henry IV, Part 2 follows Prince Hal as he grapples with his eventual ascent to the throne and his increasingly strained relationship with Falstaff. As the king falls sick and Hal’s ascent appears imminent, Hal’s decisions hold significant implications for all those around him. Modernizing the language of the two plays, Yvette Nolan’s translation carefully works at the seeds sown by Shakespeare—bringing to new life the characters and dramatic arcs of the original.
Production History
May 8, 2020
FIRST READS: An Online Educational Series
A livestreamed exploration of Midsummer featuring actors from across the country under the direction of Sara Bruner with dramaturgy by Philippa Kelly.
June 4, 2019
Play On! Festival NYC
Rehearsal and Staged Reading directed by Jeff Whitty with full cast as part of the Play On! Translation Festival in NYC.
Produced by:
Play On! / Classic Stage / Oregon Shakespeare Festival
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Henry IV – Part II
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Henry VI – Part III
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