Henry V review, Hampstead

A hearty joy runs through this all-male production of Henry V. We have renditions of London's Burning and Chanson D'Amour and even the battle scenes are faintly funny. It's no surprise then, to discover it's the work of Propeller theatre company, Edward Hall's anarchic band of brothers whose takes on Shakespeare always display the louche and lusty markers of a stag party on the prowl.

In a staging that uses galvanised steel gantrys, wooden crates and torches to create everything from boats to battlefields, we follow the newly crowned Prince Hal as he sets off to France to wrest back England's lands. Visual props are used to create the sound and fury of confrontation while actors writhe on the ground wounded or dying. It's a device as gripping as it is comedic. With just three female characters, the gender reassignments are nothing more than glorious flourishes, but the zest of the cross-dressers is a delight.

Agin corps

The production is a triumph of ensemble work though Dugald Bruce-Lockhart plays Henry like a Ken doll. His moulded torso is a plasticated orange and his coiffure appears to be sprayed on - not one hair went out of place even in the heat of battle. His is a Mattel-world appeal. As Katherine of France, Carl Davis is more Sinead O'Connor than Barbie, and this serves to make the final scene, in which the victorious King asks her to marry him, a total hoot.

In conclusion: The mood takes a while to settle, finding it's pace to create an uplifting Henry V - the perfect introduction to the Bard for naysayers. The diction could be better and the pace more even, but it's terrific fun.

References:
Hampstead Theatre, tickets
Henry Hitchings review in The Evening Standard

Hampstead Theatre is on Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London NW3 3EU. This production is now over.