'Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts' Off-Broadway review — NAATCO brings Shakespeare’s epic historical saga alive

Read our review of Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts off Broadway, adapted and directed by Stephen Brown-Fried from Shakespeare's three-part history play.

Summary

• Shakespeare's Henry VI depicts the English political conflicts leading up to the Wars of the Roses
• This Off-Broadway production condenses the three-part play series into a two-part show
• The two parts run a combined 5.5 hours and can be viewed on separate nights or the same day
• The show's highlights include its strong cast as well as costumes and fight choreography that deepen the storytelling

There’s a lot of Shakespeare happening right now in New York. Romeo and Juliet just opened The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park season, soon to be followed by The Winter’s Tale, and the same institution's Mobile Unit is touring As You Like It at parks in all five boroughs. And at the Public's main downtown venue right now is one that many may never have seen: Henry VI, the story of an infant king struggling to live up to his father’s enormous legacy, doomed to have his kingdom torn apart by wars abroad and at home. This lesser-performed of the Bard’s works gets a stunning reimagination by NAATCO (National Asian American Theatre Company) in Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts.

One of the reasons that Henry VI isn’t performed as often as its fellow history plays, such as standalones like Richard II, Henry V, or Richard III, is that it’s a cycle of three full-length plays. But for this production, director Stephen Brown-Fried adapted all three into about 5.5 hours, to be seen over the course of two performances. First performed in 2018, NAATCO's production has gotten some updates: The minimalist scenic design by dots, the collective responsible for Broadway shows such as Oh, Mary! and The Rocky Horror Show, feels ultra-modern, as does the haute couture-inspired costume design by New York fashion house threeASFOUR.

The costume design is a story in itself. Rather than the traditional medieval garb of the original performances, the costumes are clearly the work of modern fashion, with exaggerated curves and edges that would be right at home on a runway. And yet they clearly evoke the shapes of 15th-century fashion as well. From Joan of Arc’s padded suit of armor to the accumulating adornments on characters rising through the ranks, little details signal much about the power moves happening on stage. The rival factions of York and Lancaster wear red and white roses, of course (they are the two sides of the Wars of the Roses), but the black-and-white clothing of the English clearly delineates them from the French, who wear all white. As the foreign wars fade and the civil strife kicks off, the costumes of the opposing sides clearly take on the colors of their factions, and red versus white becomes the sartorial color story.

But while everything else on stage may look vaguely futuristic, the characters themselves feel lived-in in all the best ways. As King Henry, Jon Norman Schneider takes us on a journey from the privileged youth with a dangerous blindness to the real world, to the man on the brink of losing it all who must learn to speak for himself. While he maintains an air of otherworldly detachment, Queen Margaret (Teresa Avia Lim) is his opposite, burning with barely contained rage in every scene she’s in.

Myka Cue shines — first figuratively, and then literally — as an impassioned Joan la Pucelle (Joan of Arc) who makes you want to throw down your sword for her. Elsewhere, Rajesh Bose plays a rascally Richard, Duke of York, who is very fun to track as he schemes too close to the sun, but it’s the pathos in his final monologue before a brutal death that proves unforgettable. And Julyana Soelistyo, as the villainous future Richard III, radiates authority while also creating a distinct physicality in the role that sets her apart from the rest.

The 16-person cast is endlessly watchable and endlessly moving. Everyone plays at least two characters, and most play many more. Henry VI is packed with a rotating cast of soldiers and commoners, earls and dukes, kings and queens that would make anyone’s head spin before too long. But it’s thanks to the talent of this cast that each character, from King Henry to the commoner with the fewest lines, feel so intensely real.

The Henry VI trilogy is famously not one of Shakespeare’s best works. And yet, if there’s a Shakespeare adaptation to be seen this summer, it’s this one. Come for the uniquely haute costuming. Come for the rare performance of this complicated history play. Come for the fight choreography (by Orlando Pabotoy and Kimiye Corwin) using only bo staffs and curved daggers, which is so distinctive to each scene that it adds depth to the many battles and deaths. And definitely come to experience this cast and their mastery of their characters and the Shakespearean language.

Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts summary

The year is 1422, and the infant Henry VI has just been crowned King of England after the death of his father, the great warrior king Henry V. In the absence of real leadership, France begins to fight back against the occupying English forces and, closer to home, the English nobility — the king’s cousins — begin squabbling for power.

Originally a trilogy, Shakespeare’s Henry VI Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 span from the beginning of King Henry’s reign (when he was nine months old) to his death right before his cousin/usurper King Edward IV’s decisive victory at the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471. Together with Richard III, these plays are Shakespeare’s dramatization of the Wars of the Roses, a pivotal political struggle in medieval England.

What to expect at Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts

What may be most daunting about this production of Henry VI is the sheer length. Combining three full-length Shakespeare plays into two performances is no mean feat, and Brown-Fried pulls it off admirably. Still, prepare accordingly for the combined 5.5-hour run time. Part 1: Foreign Wars has a run time of 2 hours and 45 minutes, while Part 2: Civil Strife runs for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Viewers can choose to see the two halves on separate nights or via matinee and evening performances on the same day, or just see one of them. (Though I’d say: in for a penny, in for a pound. The actors’ performances are too good to only see half of them.)

NAATCO was founded in 1989 by actors Richard Eng and Mia Katigbak to address a lack of opportunity for Asian Americans in the American theatre scene. Today, the company continues to provide opportunities for Asian actors and celebrate Asian American influences in theatre. In Henry VI, co-founder and current actor/manager Katigbak’s turn as Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester is packed with gravitas and a subtle aristocratic scorn that is delicious to witness. Anyone can see why she has been a leader in the theatre world for decades.

What audiences are saying about Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts

Theatregoers have praised Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts on online forums while advising others to be aware of the long run time.

• “Jon Norman Schneider, who plays Henry VI, does a very strong job…TL;DR: have some coffee first and go to the restroom before the first act, otherwise I recommend it.” - Reddit user u/caul1flower11
• “Enjoyed the production and acting, the play was a little slow for me. Maybe not an after work show.” - Mezzanine user Jennifer Hayes
• “A crazy, inspiring undertaking. The details of the lighting and sound and costuming did not go unnoticed.” - Mezzanine user Kendall Shepard

Who should see Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts

• Shakespeare lovers will appreciate the chance to see these seldom-performed history plays of his, combined into two digestible nights of theatre (or a matinee and an evening show, depending on your preference).
• Anyone interested in NAATCO's work will not want to miss this production, originally staged in 2018.
• Theatregoers who love a great bit of stage combat will appreciate the highly exciting moves that deepen the wins and losses of the show, choreographed by Orlando Pabotoy and Kimiye Corwin.

Learn more about Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts off Broadway

NAATCO's two-part production offers a rare chance to see Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy, acted with ferocity and passion by the entire cast.

Learn more and get Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts tickets on New York Theatre Guide. Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts is at The Public Theater through July 19.

Photo credit: Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts off Broadway. (Photos by HanJie Chow)