Honor, rebellion and the complexity of father-son relationships.
These themes are the heart of “Henry IV, Part One” – a stage production that opened at Bradley on Thursday. With four shows down, there are still six opportunities to immerse yourself in a few hours of Shakespearean fun.
Dan Matisa, head of performance at Bradley, describes “Henry IV” as a historical play that integrates drama, comedy and sword fights.
“Shakespeare’s history plays are very dramatic, exciting, but also very funny, and this one is no exception,” Matisa said. “We spend time arguing in the English court, having fun in taverns and fighting on the battlefield.”
The play is set in Medieval England and revolves around Prince Hal, the son of Henry IV, who doesn’t take his future seriously as the future king. Prince Hal spends his time drinking and partying while a rebellion brews back at court.
Guest director Deb Alley says the play is great for anyone, but specifically for history lovers, those interested in politics and anyone who has had to make a difficult decision regarding events they had no control over in their life.
This production is Alley’s first with the Bradley Theatre Arts Department, where she’s gotten to work with a cast and crew she described as uniquely creative, talented and dedicated to conveying messages for the audience. Every cast member put their spin on each character and contributed countless hours of work to make every rehearsal productive.
“A career in theatre is not for the faint of heart,” Alley said. “It takes a lot of perseverance, long hours of work and a desire to embrace – with truth and transparency – the whole expanse of human experience.”
One cast member, senior theatre performance major Will Oehler, shared insight on the creative process and memories made during rehearsals.
“The beauty of it is that you never really know how things come together in the end,” Oehler said. “You end up with a story that is so much more personal to the cast. This isn’t ‘Henry IV,’ this is Bradley’s ‘Henry IV.’”
Oehler plays the titular role.
“Henry IV” has been an opportunity for him to not only spend time with friends, but also to perform serious material while still putting his own spin on it.
Oehler says the cast and crew are what make the show special, and the attitude and energy they bring to the show makes all the difference. He especially highlights the crew for being so dedicated to the show.
“If the show is the machine, then they are the oil that runs the machine, and the gasoline,” he said.
Then, there’s the audience – a vital aspect of what might make this production unique. According to Oehler, the beauty of a stage production is the proximity between the performers and the different audience members that attend each night.
“‘Henry IV’ is the closest thing you can get to a movie, without being on set,” Oehler said. “There’s a lot of power in that – in the audience seeing a lot of the finer details.”
The audience means a lot to the cast and crew of “Henry IV,” and the Hartmann Center offers first come, first serve tickets to Bradley students with their BU IDs the day of the shows.
Performances run until Nov. 15, including weekday 7:30 p.m. shows and Sunday 2:00 p.m. shows. You can purchase tickets online here or at the door.
If you’ve never stepped foot in the realm of a Shakespeare play, this is the perfect opportunity to experience early modern English while supporting the theatre department.
