Henry V
June 28 – August 13 · Howard Family Stage
At the edge of the world, at the end of the world, a travelling theatre troupe performs Shakespeare’s Henry V.
So begins the tale of a war-torn land and of young King Hal, whom destiny has cast as a leader. Manipulated by false advisors, he plunges two nations into war. But will victory be worth the price? Can there be another way? Shakespeare’s famous story poses timeless questions about the moral cost of war – and whether love and hope might turn the tide, both in Henry’s world and for us today.
Adapted and directed by Lois Anderson (The Taming of the Shrew, 2019; Lysistrata, 2018).
Content Advisory: Death, stylized violence, warfare, non-toxic haze, flashing light, gunshots.
Season and production run dates subject to change.
Production run time: 2hrs 5mins, including 20 minute intermission
Production Sponsor
Photo Credit: Kate Besworth in Henry V Photo & Image Design: Emily Cooper
The Story
Prologue
A wasteland. A place of war. A troupe arrives to present Shakespeare’s Henry V. The play tells a war story but this troupe is looking within it for evidence of friendship, community, hope and love.
And so the tale begins…
The Backdrop
The recently crowned King Henry V of England (Hal) is being advised by political and religious leaders that he has a right to the throne of France through his family tree. Persuaded by his counsellors and influenced by the words of his dead father (Henry IV), he raises an army and sets off to invade France.
Meantime, a group of the King’s companions from his younger days – Bardolf, Nym, and Pistol and his wife Mistress Quickly – are at a London tavern; Henry is no longer in contact with them as his father insisted on his deathbed that when Hal became King he must cut off all ties with tavern folk. Another one of their group, John Falstaff, is close to death and calls out in vain for his “sweet friend Hal.” Falstaff dies, the men leave Mistress Quickly, and head off to join Henry’s army.
(King) Hal arrives at the tavern, but too late to say good-bye to his old friend.
In France
The French King and Queen and their daughter Katharine receive an English envoy who tells them that England intends to declare war if they won’t give up the French crown to Henry. The French King is concerned about what
another war will do to their kingdom.
Soon after, the English forces arrive in France and defeat the French at Harfleur. After the battle, Bardolph, now a
soldier, is caught stealing bread and King Henry authorizes his execution.
The two armies prepare for a bigger confrontation at Agincourt. The night before the battle, Henry wanders the camp, reflecting on the moral cost of leadership. At daybreak, he speaks to his troops and encourages them as they prepare for battle. The battle begins and the French force is defeated with heavy losses. There are far fewer English deaths; Nym and Pistol are among them.
The Aftermath
The French admit defeat and surrender entirely. The French Queen speaks hopefully of a new alliance between the two countries, one that will bring peace to the land. Henry and the French Princess Katharine court each other and marry, ending the conflict. For now. Will this peace be the one that lasts?
Trailer
Cinematography & Video Editing by Art Left Creative
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Director's Notes
Shakespeare’s Henry V is a play about a war. Let’s be very clear about that. I began thinking about this play in the midst of the global pandemic, as Putin declared war on Ukraine. I’m not a historian, but it seems to me that war is a perpetual reality in the history of humankind. It is cyclical – it returns again and again and again. In my lifetime there has always been a war somewhere (the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Falklands War, the Bosnian War, the Iraq War, to name a few).
At this point in my life, it’s hard to believe that peace is possible – at least on a global scale. But I do believe in acts of Love. Viktor Frankl writes, “Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence.” And while Putin raged, and Covid wore on, we also heard stories of community kindness and connectivity rising through it all.
In Henry V, England is a kingdom fraught with political strife and civil war, desperately in need of cash. France is a peaceful kingdom that has a close connection to the cycles of Nature. So when King Henry of England invades France, he not only threatens an entire nation of people but he also threatens their fields, their harvest, their culture, and their language. Henry V is a play that centres on an act of war, but what I’m most interested in are the moments of community, of love, of care, of humanity that appear in the play, transcending greed and the machinations of war.
As a boy, Henry V (Hal) spends most of his time hanging out in a tavern with Mistress Quickly, Falstaff, Nym, Bardolf
and Pistol. These scenes are full of life, humour, music, and laughter. The tavern folk are thieves – but they are also our heart characters. The lessons they teach Hal about friendship are the lessons that come back to him when he comes face to face with the devastating cost of a war that he is responsible for.
In our production, a travelling troupe will perform Henry V. This troupe exists in an environmental space that symbolizes the perpetual nature of war. They carry chairs to represent the settled lives they once had, and they carry suitcases to represent migration. They invite you to watch Shakespeare’s war play, Henry V. Look for moments of love/community. They are there.
Cast & Creative Team
Kate Besworth (she/her)
Troupe Member 7 (Henry V, Hal)
Kate is a theatre performer and playwright currently working on the unceded and stolen lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. This is Kate's sixth year working with Bard on the Beach. For Bard: Titania, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Bianca, The Taming of the Shrew; John Webster, Shakespeare in Love; Witch, Macbeth; Julia, The Two Gentlemen of Verona; and Done/Undone. Kate is in love with Charlie Gallant.
Jessica Bournival (she/her)
Apprentice Stage Manager
Born in Laval, QC and raised in Maple Ridge, Jessica is a graduate of Bishop's University's Drama Program (2020). She's very excited to return to Bard for her second season. Previous credits include Ceci est une histoire d'amour and Le Soulier (Théâtre la Seizième); Th'owxiya and Quelqu'un t'aime Monsieur Hatch (Axis); Romeo and Juliet (Bard); and Made in Italy and The Twelve Dates of Christmas (Arts Club).
Craig Erickson
Troupe Member 2 (Henry IV, Pistol)
This is Craig’s ninth season at Bard. Other theatre credits include The Cull, Angels in America: Part One and Part Two, and The Glass Menagerie (Arts Club); Forget About Tomorrow (Belfry/Arts Club); Wakey, Wakey (Pacific Theatre); Titus Bouffonius (Rumble), and The Invisible Hand (Pi). Two seasons at the Stratford Festival and two seasons at the Shaw Festival. TV credits: Bau: Artist at War, Mysterious Benedict Society, Bates Motel, Man in the High Castle, and Lucifer.
Lisa Goebel (she/her)
Intimacy Director
Lisa is honoured to be returning to Bard this year after Intimacy Directing A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Harlem Duet, and Romeo and Juliet last season. Recent Intimacy Direction credits include Starwalker (Urban Ink); Yaga (Touchstone); and The Mountaintop (Pacific Theatre). Lisa also works as an actor, choreographer, and producer. She completed her Intimacy Certification through Intimacy Directors and Coordinators, and is a graduate of Studio 58.
Mara Gottler
Costume Designer
Mara has been designing costumes for Bard on the Beach since its 1990 inaugural year, and is pleased to reinvent Henry V for this staging. Her designs have intrigued audiences around the world as she worked with international superstar Robert Lepage’s on several productions, including Le Rossignol (COC/Opéra de Lyon/DNO/Festival d’Aix en Provence); The Tempest (Huron-Wendat Nation/Ex Machina); Coriolanus (Stratford Festival); and Coriolan (Theatre de Nouveau Monde). Mara teaches in the prestigious Studio 58 design program.
Marlee Griffiths
Troupe Member 9 (Katharine)
Marlee is an emerging artist from Pickering, Ontario and a graduate of St. Lawrence College’s Music Theatre - Performance program. Marlee has studied voice and music for a large part of her life and has been performing since childhood. Recent theatre credits include Virtual Rogues (Caravan Stage); and Sweet Charity, The Little Mermaid, MANIFEST Collective, and Drama 101 (SLC Stage). She is ecstatic about her Bard debut. Outside of performance, you might find Marlee writing poems and songs in her little journal.
Leif Hatzi-Blaak
Apprentice Sound Designer/Composer
Leif was born on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, otherwise known as Vancouver. Leif is currently a student in his third year studying music composition at SFU. He is interested in composing for piano and pushing the boundaries of music as a means of personal expression. Leif also works as a piano teacher for youth. He aspires to follow his passion for creating music for film, dance, and theatre.
Jonathan Hawley Purvis
Choreographer / Fight Director
Jonathan is a fight director, actor, choreographer, and stunt performer. Select fight direction credits include Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew, and Shakespeare in Love (Bard); As You Like It (Chicago Shakespeare and Milwaukee Rep); Antony & Cleopatra, The Three Musketeers, Julius Caesar, and Romeo and Juliet (St. Lawrence Shakespeare); and The Silver Arrow, Shakespeare In Love, West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet, The Penelopiad, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Citadel).
Michael K. Hewitt
Associate Lighting Designer
Michael is an award-winning lighting and sound designer and composer. Select credits: The Birds and the Bees (Arts Club); The Kite (Rosebud); The Cake (Pacific Theatre); Act of Faith (Realwheels); A Christmas Story: The Musical (Align Entertainment); Marion Bridge (A Wing & A Prayer); Butcher (Prime Cuts Collective); Merrily We Roll Along (United Players); and Coming Up For Air (Kay Meek). Michael also has mentored students in lighting design at Capilano University and Douglas College. www.michaelkhewitt.com
Sam Jeffery (she/her)
Assistant Fight Director
Sam is an award-nominated fight director, actor, certified intimacy director and coordinator, and educator born and raised in ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ / amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory. She's delighted to now make the coast her home. Select fight credits: Flowers of the Rarest (Flowers Artists’ Collective); Dooja Ghar: The Other House (Monsoon Festival); Oil (UBC); Michael Mysterious (Pyretic Productions); Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play (Blarney/You Are Here); and Henry V, Twelfth Night, and Julius Caesar (The Malachites). www.samjeffery.com
Karthik Kadam (he/him)
Troupe Member 4 (Politician, Dauphin, Bardolf)
This is Karthik’s second season at Bard and he is honoured to be back under the tents to share this beautiful story. Originally from Bangalore, India, Karthik is a graduate of UBC’s Acting program. He was also the recipient of Bard’s Edmund Kean Sword Award last year. Recent credits: The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arts Club); Mahabharata (Why Not Theatre/Shaw Festival); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bard); Wakey, Wakey (Assistant Director, Pacific Theatre); Silent Sky (United Players); and Juggle Me Not (Axis).
Jenny Kim
Assistant Stage Manager
It is an honour and pleasure to be able to work with such talented individuals on this production. Credits: SM for Romeo and Juliet, Rehearsal ASM for Coriolanus, and Apprentice SM for Macbeth, As You Like It, and Shylock (Bard); Teenage Dick, No Child, Cipher, and Sweat (Arts Club); China Doll (Gateway); The Mountaintop (Pacific Theatre); The Café (Aphotic Theatre/ITSAZOO); Circle Game: Reimagining the Music of Joni Mitchell (Firehall/Arts Club); and Pachinko (Apple TV).
Emilie Leclerc
Troupe Member 6 (Chorus, Queen Isabelle, Governor)
Happily making her Bard debut! Select theatre credits: Unité Modèle and Bonjour, là, bonjour (Théâtre la Seizième); A Charlie Brown Christmas (Carousel); and Les Belles-soeurs (Ruby Slippers). Television: Izadora, Motherland: Fort Salem. A Jessie Award–winning actor, Emilie has been co-creating original works and acting in both English and French for the past 15 years. She is a graduate of McGill University and Studio 58. Bon spectacle!
Billy Marchenski (he/him)
Troupe Member 8 (Exeter)
Billy graduated from the School for the Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University. He has been working in contemporary dance and indie theatre for over 20 years. Billy was a founding member of the Jessie Award–nominated company Screaming Flea Theatre. He received the Sydney J. Risk Prize for Outstanding New Play for slowpoke, a travelogue of his experiences in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Billy teaches performance at SFU and works with local companies such as Leaky Heaven, Radix, and the Butoh group giGamal.
Alison Matthews (she/her)
Head Voice & Text Coach
Alison has coached over forty productions for the festival since 2008. She is a voice specialist in the Drama Department at the University of Alberta, and she taught for five years with the Citadel Banff Professional Theatre Program at the Banff Centre for the Arts. As a speech trainer, she has worked with academics at the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, and with immigrant and refugee women at the Vancouver Chapter of The Shoe Project. With three decades of professional acting experience, Alison has numerous film and television credits, and is a well-known voiceover artist. She holds a M.F.A. in Theatre from the University of British Columbia, and Associate Diploma in Drama & Speech from Trinity College London. Learn more at: www.alisonmatthews.com
Rebecca Mulvihill (she/her)
Stage Manager
This is Rebecca's eighth season at Bard. Favourite credits: Harlem Duet (Bard); Stupid F*cking Bird, Bunny, and The Father (Search Party); As dreams are made (Music on Main); Anywhere But Here (Electric Company); Topdog/Underdog and The Shoplifters (Arts Club); The Pearl Fishers (Vancouver Opera); and Fall Away Home (Boca Del Lupo). Rebecca is a graduate of the University of Victoria.
Amir Ofek
Set Designer
Born and raised in Israel. Graduated Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design and Brandeis University (MFA Theatre Arts). Amir designed productions in Tel Aviv, London, and the US. Recent Vancouver productions: A Midsummer Night's Dream and Pericles (Bard on the Beach); Orfeo ed Euridice and La Voix humaine (Vancouver Opera); The Cull (Arts Club); and Stupid F*cking Bird, Bunny and The Father (Search Party).
Joelysa Pankanea
Sound Designer / Composer / Music Director
Originally from Kenya, East Africa, Joelysa is an award-winning composer based in Vancouver, BC. A seasoned professional with 25 years of experience in composition, musical direction, and sound design, her music has been featured in multiple theatre productions, short films, chamber orchestras, and choirs. Recent credits: Romeo and Juliet (Bard) and Rolling Hills, Green Pastures (Sunny Drake Productions/Electric Company). Upcoming: Transhumanist (Musica Intima); The Mousetrap (Theatre Calgary); and Fire Never Dies (Electric Company). www.joelysa.com
Tom Pickett (he/him)
Troupe Member 5 (King of France, NYM)
Tom’s career has spanned more than 30 years. Theatre credits: Harlem Duet (Bard); Master Harold . . . and the Boys (Pacific Theatre, Jessie Award winner); Once on this Island (Acting Up Stage/Obsidian, Dora nomination); The Whipping Man (Pacific Theatre, Jessie Award nominated); and Walt Whitman’s Secret (frank theatre, Jessie Award nominated). Film and television credits: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Christmas Time Is Here, Turner and Hooch and Fire Country.
Munish Sharma (he/him)
Troupe Member 1 (Priest, Falstaff, Williams)
Munish is very grateful to be back at Bard and to be part of the Henry V team! Nothing but Love for my family, friends, and mentors. Preview credits: Mahabharata (Why Not Theatre/Shaw Festival); #34 (Globe Theatre); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bard on the Beach); Himmat (Theatre Conspiracy); and Men Express their Feelings (Zee Zee Theatre).
Advah Soudack (she/her)
Troupe Member 3 (Mistress Quickly, MountJoy, Court)
Advah is overjoyed to be back at the tents! Select theatre credits: Courage Now (Firehall); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bard); The House at Pooh Corner (Carousel); and Glory (National Tour). Recent screen credits: Blockbuster, The Christmas Contest, and Love, Lights, Hanukkah. Select animation credits: Lego Friends, Beyblade Burst Evolution, and My Little Pony. A special thank you to my family who alway love and support me. For my Abba.
Sophie Tang (she/her)
Lighting Designer
Sophie is an award-winning lighting and set designer working in theatre, opera, and dance. She has worked with companies including Stratford Festival, Electric Company Theatre, Vancouver Opera, the Arts Club, Bard on the Beach, Citadel Theatre, Canadian Stage, Theatre Replacement, and more. Recent credits: An Undeveloped Sound (Electric Company); Choir Boy (Canadian Stage/Arts Club); The Pearl Fishers (Vancouver Opera); Romeo and Juliet (Bard); and 9 to 5 (Citadel). www.sophieyufeitang.com
Tricia Trinh (they/she/he)
Directing Apprentice
Trinh is a queer, genderfluid, interdisciplinary Chinese-Vietnamese-Canadian theatre artist with a background in directing, playwriting, curating, and producing. Graduate of the University of Victoria. Founder of Dusty Foot Productions. Playwright/Director credits: Probability (rEvolver); Red Glimmer (Fringe); and Attachments (Tremors). Her artistic practice aims to examine the duality in intersectional lived experiences. They approach theatre as the most direct vessel in which we can share with one another our humanity. He is immensely grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with this electric team of bards.
Sara Vickruck (they/them)
Understudy
Sara is a queer, multidisciplinary performer, sound designer, and creator currently living on the unceded territories of the Halkomelem-speaking peoples. They are grateful to be back at Bard for their third season. Sara has worked and performed across the country with companies such as Theatre Passe Muraille, Buddies in Bad Times, Citadel Theatre, and Arts Club. Sara is a Jessie Award winner and the recipient of the CAEA’s Stage West Emerging Artist Award in 2020.
Alistar Wallace (he/him)
Associate Sound Designer
Alistair is an actor, producer, comedian, and sound designer. He is very excited to return to Bard for a second year. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Alistair’s sound design credits include Ominous Sounds at a River Crossing; or, Another Fucking Dinner Party Play (Touchstone); The Enemy and Opening Doors (Firehall); So How Should I Be? (Presentation House); No End of Blame (Sport for Jove); Punk Rock* (pantsguys/ATYP); and Jerusalem** (New Theatre). *Winner, Best Independent Production, Sydney Theatre Awards **Nominee, Best Independent Sound Design, Sydney Theatre Awards.
Chris White
Set Design Consultant
Chris is a Vancouver-based scenic carpenter, prop builder, furniture maker, and designer. He has contributed to over 300 productions with organizations such as the Shaw Festival, Bard on the Beach, and The Grande Theatre, and is a full-time scenic carpenter at the Arts Club. This year, he was able to develop some model-building and puppetry skills. Outside of work, he creates small satirical paintings.