Students’ ‘Henry IV’ Ngaio Marsh Production

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30178, 9 July 1963, Page 11

Students’ ‘Henry IV’ Ngaio Marsh Production

During the last 20 years Miss Ngaio Marsh and the Canterbury University Drama Society have presented all of Shakespeare’s major tragedies, some more than once. One. “Othello,” was taken on tour in Australia.

This year “Henry IV Part I,” one of Shakespeare’s series of historical plays, is to be presented. Miss Marsh believes that this will be its first South Island production. “It is one of Shakespeare's later works, more mature than most of the chronologically later histories,” she said. “He wrote them roughly in the reverse order. ‘Henry IV is considered by many people to be his best history.” “As well as being an essentially serious treatment of power politics, the play is full of humour and comedy. Fal-

staff is perhaps the greatest comic creation in literature and in this production we intend to make the most of the play’s comic potential,” Miss Marsh said. Falstaff will be played by Gerald Lascelles. Of the set, which she designed, Miss Marsh said: “It is a heraldic set, predominantly white, gold and scarlet It will be light and brilliant, in keeping with the action of the play.”

Mr Frederick Port has flown down from the North Island specially to write the incidental music for the production. He has been associated with the society for some years, wrote the music for last year's production of “Macbeth.” “Henry IV” will be presented in the Civic Theatre from Friday, July 19, to Saturday, July 27.