The Life of Henry the Fifth

Summary

1951 BBC live studio production of Shakespeare’s history play The Life of Henry the Fifth.

Theatre play

King Henry V by William Shakespeare [more information]

Play synopsis

'Soon after his accession to the throne King Henry V is considering asserting his right to rule France as well as England. Consulting the Archbishop of Canterbury as to the justness of his claim, he receives a gift of tennis balls sent by the dauphin - a scornful jibe at his youth, which spurs him on to the invasion of France. The king’s former companions from his days in the Eastcheap tavern hear of the death of Sir John Falstaff from Hostess Quickly. They take their leave of her and set out to join Henry’s army. Despite the dauphin’s insistence that Henry is an unworthy opponent, the French king receives the English ambassadors but finally rejects Henry’s claim to the crown. Henry’s forces besiege and then take the town of Harfleur. While her father rouses his nobles to retaliation, Princess Katherine begins to learn English with the help of her companion Alice. Following the victory at Harfleur, the English forces begin a retreat through Normandy on account of the poor condition of the men, who are disheartened by sickness and foul weather. Even so, Henry rejects the French Herald’s offer of ransom and the two armies prepare to fight. On the eve of the battle of Agincourt, Henry tours the camp in disguise and, sounding out the opinions of his men, is led to consider the heavy responsibilities of kingship. In the French camp, by contrast, confidence is high. As battle is joined, Henry rallies his troops and places them all in God’s hands. An English victory is confirmed, with miraculously small losses. As part of the subsequent treaty, Henry woos and wins Katherine to ensure the linking of the two countries through marriage’ (source: http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/henryV.html, accessed 13 November 2012).

Production history

First performed c. 1599.

Date of transmission

Sunday 22 April 1951

Time

8.30-10.45pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Royston Morley

Playwright

William Shakespeare

Sets / Settings

Barry Learoyd

Fight Arranger

Patrick Crean

Assistant Producer

Leonard Brett

Cast

John Arnold	Earl of Cambridge / Duke of Bourbon
Michael Atkinson
John Baker	Alexander Court / English Herald
Geoffrey Barrie
Richard Bebb	Duke of Orleans
Philip Bray
Robert Brown	Michael Williams
Oliver Burt	Duke of Exeter
Richard Caldicot	Archbishop of Canterbury / Duke of Burgundy
Ann Cherry
Norman Claridge	Charles VI
Michele Clement	Alice
James Coats
Cyril Conway	Lord Scroop / Duke of York
Kathleen Crawley
Howell Davies
Alexis de Gallier
Peter Doughty
Archie Duncan	Jamy
John Fabian	Duke of Bedford Earl of Warwick
Stanley Fereman	Boy
Richard Gilbert	Rambures
Marius Goring	Chorus
Willoughby Gray	Pistol
Michael Green
Cameron Hall	Nym
Reginald Hearne	French Messenger
Charles Hersee
Charles Hill
William Hyde
Viola Johnstone	Isabel
John Glyn Jones	Fluellen
Geoffrey Keen	Gower
Moultrie R. Kelsall (1901-1980)	Constable of France
Edward Lexy	Macmorris
Paul Martin	Duke of Gloucester / French Soldier
Clement McCallin	King Henry the Fifth
John Nugee
Varvara Pitoeff	Katharine
Olaf Pooley	Lewis, the Dauphin
Frederick Ross	Sir Thomas Erpingham
John Stevens	Earl of Westmorland
Frank Tickle	John Bates
John van Eyssen	Mountjoy
Geoffrey Wearing	Governor of Harfleur
Gordon Whiting	Sir Thomas Grey / Earl of Salisbury
Virginia Winter	Hostess
George Woodbridge	Bardolph

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Later transmissions

Presented again at 8.00pm on Thursday 25 April 1951.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

15th-century setting; France, as theme or setting; historical drama; royalty

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 20 April 1951 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing and photograph, p. 41 and article by Lionel Hale, p. 40