Outdoors in The Adams Theater at
The Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City, "The War of the
Roses" is an adaptation of the three Henry VI plays. Howard
Jensen trims over 9500 lines down to around 2800 lines for one three
hour play. He strips away all of the ancillary scenes, some of which
are very good, but not necessarily germane to the story of The War of
the Roses, which takes place entirely within these three plays.
Richard II, and the Henry IV and V plays lay the foundation, Richard
III is like an epilogue. Jensen's play is a telling 
of
this brutal period of English history in a concise line from start
to finish.
The Henry VI plays were the first
serious works by the young Shakespeare who was still learning his
craft. They have a swagger to them that is characteristic of the
young artist who is confident of his message, but not his ability
present it. There's none of that in the Henry IV plays where he's a
confident master, but that swagger is preserved here. There's almost
nonstop action from start to finish.
We open with the coffin of Henry V
to "Hung Be the Heavens With Black." He had conquered
France, and we go directly there. Talbot has been terrorizing the
French, but he's defeated in battle by Joan of Arc. She doesn't kill
him, though, saying "Thy hour has not yet come." When that
hour does come, she kills him, but in the meantime events have come
about that will free France and divide the English. Richard
Plantaganet has laid out his claim to the throne as third son to
Edward III. Henry restores his inheritance and makes him Duke of
York. He and Somerset quarrel, he picks the white rose of York, and
Somerset the red rose to represent Lancaster as the two claims to the
throne. Somerset fails to aid Talbot because of this and the nobles
choose their sides.
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester is
protector to this young King. He has arranged 
a
state marriage with a big dowry and political advantage for Henry,
but Suffolk convinces him to marry Margaret of Anjou, with whom
Suffolk is in love. Instead of getting a dowry, Henry gives her
father Anjou and Maine, and withdraws from France. The nobles plot
the downfall of Gloucester who says "Mine is but the prologue to
their play." Each has his own ends, and Humphrey is accused of
treason, arrested by Suffolk, who now controls the Queen, who
controls the King, and thus controls the throne. Henry objects, but
he doesn't have a chance against them. York is given an army and sent
to Ireland to get him out of the way. He observes "It's men I
lacked and you will give them to me." Gloucester is murdered in
his bed. Suffolk and Winchester are accused by Warwick, who is backed
by the commons, and Suffolk is banished and killed. Margaret raves as
she carries her lover's head and holds it to her breast, screaming.
Richard returns from Ireland and
claims the crown. Henry's claim is weak, and he relinquishes it to
Richard's heirs after he dies. Margaret picks up arms with the
northern lords, and Henry is abandoned by all.
Corliss Preston is a swaggering,
taunting Margaret, when York is captured. She gives him a
handkerchief dipped in his young son Rutland's blood to wipe his
face. They put a paper crown on him and make him kneel on a mole hill
before Clifford kills him. Seeing York's head, Henry prophesies
"Things ill got have bad success." Plantaganet's son
becomes King Edward IV. During the ensuing battle Henry comes to
Richard's mole hill and contemplates the horrors of war. The son who
has slain his father comes there, then the father who has slain his son.
Edward has spurned Warwick's
match, marrying him to the sister of the King of France so he could
marry Lady Elisabeth Grey. Warwick joins with Margaret, but both are
defeated. Margaret's son is brutally killed in front of her, but the
sons of York won't kill her. Henry's reading his bible in The Tower
of London. Richard, who is plotting to become Richard III comes and
kills him. We learn of his prophecy as one who was born feet first,
with a hunchback and teeth..."to snarl and bite and play the dog."
The cast is a veritable who's who
of Ashland veterans. Corliss Preston was an absolutely riveting
Margaret. She starts out innocent enough, but we see that edge right
off. She becomes a fearlessly domineering Queen, while she has a none
too secret affair with Suffolk. After his death she's a mighty
warrior, until she meets her fate as a raving madwoman. She captures
all the venom of a Margaret who is one of the most ruthless women in
history. Rick Hamilton is a strong York. He's experienced in this
role and plays it with elegance, power, and passion. Mark Murphey's
Warwick is smooth and confident. He makes Kings because he patiently
observes and times his moves perfectly. Anthony de Fonte is a
powerful Gloucester, and Raymond L. Chapman, the slow witted Henry.
Michael A Harding is an outstanding Richard. He moves with the gait
of the deformed son of Plantagenet. He's certainly bitter, and
everything about him is venomous. He's strong and sure in battle,
though, and sly and quick witted enough to be a constant threat to
anyone in the path of what he wants. That turns out to be a lot of
people, too.
"The War of the Roses"
is a traditional production with beautiful sets and costumes. It
continues outdoors on The Elizabethan stage at The Adams Theater
through September 1 at The
Utah Shakespearean Festival in
Cedar City.
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