Henry Vth (Man and Monarch) – Holden St Theatres – 3K

While there should always be appreciation for the courage, skills and preparation it takes to put together and perform a one-man show, this one falls short of the mark. The idea behind the adaptation of the classic Shakespeare text is clever, the cutting of shapes from newspaper to build a story and set the scene should have worked better but there was a lack of clear definition of chronology with lose attempts at costume changes which lead to the plot feeling heavy handed and confused. It was one of those times when you wished you had read the text just before the show as I’m sure those more familiar with Henry V would have connected with and enjoyed the performance more.

As a fan of Holden Street Theatres’ theatre programing I will always give a new show the benefit of the doubt, but perhaps this piece is for the true Shakespeare fans rather than the average audience member.

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