King Henry V

William Shakespeare author Emma Smith editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:27th Jun '02

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King Henry V cover

A thorough account of its performance history including introduction, full text of play and footnotes.

This stage history of Shakespeare's King Henry V covers the play's theatrical life since 1599. The Introduction traces stage and film versions of this political play and provokes questions: is it an epic of English nationalism, a knowing and cynical piece of power politics, or an anti-war manifesto?This is the first stage history of Shakespeare's King Henry V to cover the play's theatrical life since its first performance in 1599. Staging this play has always been a political act, and the substantial introduction traces its theatrical interventions into conflicts from the Napoleonic Wars to Vietnam and the Falklands crisis, offering a complete account of the play's fortunes: from its absence in the seventeenth century to its dominant position as historical spectacle in the Victorian period, through twentieth-century productions, which include the popular films by Olivier and Branagh. Together they raise vital interpretative questions: is Henry V an epic of English nationalism, a knowing and cynical piece of power politics, or an anti-war manifesto? The volume also includes the play text, illustrations and detailed footnotes about major performances.

'I cannot recommend too highly the whole series (a bargain at £16.99 for each play) to all theatre lovers, theatregoers, theatre practitioners, and anybody who enjoys Shakespeare.' Robert Tanitch, What's on in London

ISBN: 9780521594288

Dimensions: 236mm x 159mm x 23mm

Weight: 547g

260 pages