1:48        Henry V – Act 2 Scene 4        Shakespeare – English Neutral

This is an experimental piece shot during an actors workshop. It offers a never seen before interpretation of the French King.

In this scene, French King Charles VI discusses the coming of the English with the Dauphin and the Lords. However, I have tried to infuse historical accuracy into the role: from his early twenties onward, Charles VI suffered from recurrent psychotic episodes, some mild, some extreme (such as the glass delusion during which he believed his bones could shatter at a single knock, which prompted him to have protective rods sewn into his clothes!), and some violent. As a result, the Queen became the true ruler of France for the next 40 years, hence her presence in this scene.

In order to make this workable within the context of Shakespeare’s work, I decided to portray the French King during one of his milder episodes:

He walks into the war room as the Queen, the Dauphin and the Lords are discussing the imminent arrival of Henry V and the English army and, seeing the war map on the table, he thinks it is a plan for some sort of war game the Lords are planning to play in the Palace Gardens and he addresses them in a casual and lighthearted tone that contrasts sufficiently with the true gravity of the situation to tell the audience that something is not quite right with him.