Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory’s Henry V opens Theatre Royal Bath summer season
Bristol’s Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory is taking its new Henry V production to Theatre Royal Bath to open the venue’s summer season, it was announced today.
Launching at the Ustinov Studio Henry V will be directed by Elizabeth Freestone.
Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband will transfer to Theatre Royal Bath’s Main House direct from the West End, marking the first production in Jonathan Church’s 2018 summer season.
HENRY V, June 21 – July 21
Innovative theatre company, Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, will launch its brand new production of Henry V at the Ustinov Studio.
Starring Ben Hall in the title role, the production will then embark on a UK tour. Shakespeare’s play is a thrilling examination of the nature of power as it explores the burden of leadership and explodes the myth of heroism.
Ben Hall is best known for his role as Donald in BBC’s The Durrells. Theatre credits include Coriolanus and Salomé for the RSC and Twelfth Night (Sheffield / ETT).
AN IDEAL HUSBAND July 18 – August 4
Oscar Wilde’s sharp and witty drama explores corruption, blackmail and honour when a damning secret threatens to ruin ambitious politician Sir Robert Chiltern’s career and marriage.
Jonathan Church is artistic director of the Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season. His inaugural 2017 season included productions of Racing Demon, The Lady in the Van, Sand in the Sandwiches and North by Northwest.
He was previously artistic director for the Salisbury Playhouse (1995-99), Birmingham Rep (2001-05) and Chichester Festival Theatre (2006-16).
The full season will be announced soon.
I saw the matinee production of Henry V in Bath on Saturday 23rd. Generally it was an unremittingly brutish and unsubtle portrayal of the horrors of conflict from the point of view of both nobles and the commoner riff raff. But the actor playing the lead role unforgivably gabbled through his long speeches so that it was impossible to follow them and the audience was robbed of the opportunity to enjoy the stunning poetry. That for me made it a terrible performance despite some good acting because if he is rushing so much, as though in a race to get through the lines as quickly as possible, why bother to pretend to play the part?