"HENRY THE FIFTH."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20203, 13 March 1929, Page 14

"HENRY THE FIFTH."

ESSENCE OF GREATNESS.

HISTORY OF THE STAGE

Shakespcro's historical dramas are seen upon the stage so seldom that the presentation of "Henry the Fifth" at His Majesty's Theatre last evening was an event worthy of a much larger audience. Only, indeed, in the great centres of the world could one expect to see a Letter peifonuance. Mr. Allan \\ ilkie s company is sufficiently strong in all-roundi capable players to have Iho familiar figures in a numerous cast adequately interpreted and last night there were many minor triumphs of character drawing that in any other play would call for favourable mention. "Henry the Fifth," however, is first and foremost the portrait of one man who, by deed and word, must pale all else into insignificance. Mr. VVilkie was magnificent in crimson and ermine, with crown and sceptre. Shakespero intended Henry to be the paragon of all the manly virtues and the king who led his soldiers to the storming of llarlleur last night,■ shouting "On, on, you noblest English!" was just such a man. Gone was the "loose behaviour that made the nobility of England fear for the Prince Hal of "Henry the Fourth" ; in his place was a king who derived his strength from force of character, evei resolute and dauntless, "in the very Maymorn of his youth, ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises." Mr Wilkie wisely retrained from putting too great an emphasis on Henry's humanity. His instruction that the French peasantry be treaty! with consideration and courtesy was given in the even tones that became an order of the day, lie made no bones about the order for the execution of prisoners, his prayer for victory was uttered with dignity, not sentiment, and he visited his soldiers incognito in no maudlin spirit but in the interests of a higher duty. In his relations with the French Ambassadors he was always restrained and the famous oration to the army on the field of Agincourt was delivered in accents worthy of its majesty. Altogether, Mr. Wilkie s was an honest performance comparable with that of his Coriolanus. There is always sufficient comic relief in "Henry the Fifth" to make the play palatable even to those to whom history is a bugbear. The voluble Welshman, Fluellen, with his eternal argument concerning the principles of war, was splendidly acted by Mr. William Lane, that conceited plebeian, Pistol, had a gifted interpreter in Mr. John Cairns. Nym was a hangdog figure in the hands of Mr. Miles Hastings, and Bardolph a jolly roysteror in Mr. Milton Sands. Miss Hunter-Watts appeared in glowing colours in the attractive role of Katherine, the scenes with Miss Marjorie Carr, as her attendant, and Mr. Wilkie in the last act, being samples of light comedy acting at its best. Mr. Herbert Sheldrick made a fine portrait of the feeble Kinp of France and Mr. Alexander March of Montjoy, while the Dauphin of Mr. Dennis Barry must rank as one of the outstanding Shakesperean portraits that talented vounc* actor has so far given. Mr. Arthur Kean played strongly as the Duke of Exeter, Mr William Lockhart as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Mr. John Kent as Gower and Mr. William Scully as Mac Morris, while Miss Mildred Howard was the hoy. The prologues were spoken by Miss Lorna Forbes, whose impeccable English was a joy to hear. This play will be given a matinee performance this afternoon and in the evening the company will present "Romeo and Juliet."