Henry V, which places itself in the “Wooden O” of the thatched, open-air theatre is an apt choice for the only “authentic” production of the reconstructed Globe’s opening season.
Mark Rylance, artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe, is not a natural choice for Henry, the reformed roue and charismatic leader. Small, light-voiced and sensitive, he nevertheless brings depth and a religious solemnity to the quieter scenes, especially on the eve of Agincourt, and the wooing of Katherine - charming, bewigged and male - is suitably light-hearted. This production has gorgeous velvet and cloth-of-gold hand-made Elizabethan costumes, authentic music and a real cannon. It is an eye-opening experience for history and English students, with the buzz of a football match.
* Tickets: 0171 401 9919
