If you are looking for an Off-Broadway theater that is suited to Shakespeare in NYC, you really can’t go past the Callum Theater and as I took my seat I was excited to see what clever use of the space I was about to see.
However, I was soon disappointed that the production is done on a nearly empty set, with only a few benches here and there, and the upper balcony which is such a triumphant feature of the space was barely used. The biggest disappointment for me was the use of a video/projection screen against the back wall. I know video and projection is becoming more and more widely used on Broadway, but give me a tactile flat and set pieces any day of the week, I’m at the theater, not a movie house.
All that being said, the use of the stairs during ‘Once more unto the breach’ as it was performed
high above the audience was extremely powerful, a highlight of the show.
Sam Hardy was a wonderful choice to play King Henry, by his presence on stage and his control
of the language we the audience could clearly see an actor who not only knows Shakespeare
but loves it, his St. Crispin’s Day speech was well crafted and a joy to listen to. Another standout
for me was Annie Unger, in a play so heavy with dramatic speeches and actions she offered a
refreshing comic relief and palette cleanser.
Overall a solid ensemble piece and some great performances in the ensemble, Andrew
Boszahardt, Adam Lyons and Jonathan Beebe to name a few.
James Jennings has brought together a wonderful cast of actors and together they have created
a thoroughly enjoyable Henry V.
ARTIUM: OMNI 