HENRY V

The German Festival in India 2000-2001 has brought audiences several performances in music, dance and drama, of truly world-class standards. The production of Henry V (based on William Shakespeare's play), by the Theatre Triebwerk, at Music Academy, was clearly in the same league.

The story of the battle for the throne of France is told with sardonic humour and unpretentious ease. At the very beginning, the audience is befuddled for a moment when the players whip out their dialogue in German. But after the first few exchanges in German, the lady (playing Princess Katherine) stops the conversation in mid-sentence to say: "Wait! We're in India. So we have to speak in English!"

King Henry V finds his state coffers empty. In a frantic bid to redeem his position, he stakes his claim to the throne of France, through a very distant relative. When he reaches France (to sort out the issue with the French King), Henry is momentarily at a loss when he hears that the French King has just died. Not willing to let it go, Henry attempts to arrange his marrying Princess Katherine (daughter of the French King and heir to the throne). But the plot thickens with the arrival of Katherine's distant cousin. On the basis of the dead King's last Will, the cousin stakes his claim to the throne. The war that follows takes a heavy toll. And eventually no one seems to know why it began at all.

Especially impressive was the role of the Storyteller (who was guilty of actually slipping into the story for a while, before resuming his place as Narrator). At many points, the Cello accompaniment took on the role as subliminal narrator and commentator.

Theatre Triebwerk, founded in 1995 in Hamburg, has performed successfully in and outside Germany. Their production of Henry V was nominated one of Germany's ten best Stage works for children and young people in 1996 and 1997.

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