![\"Cast](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/05\/325537Henry-VI-Rebellion-rehearsal-photos-20222022-8bfabf1-e1715694214655.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413\" "\\"Mark")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>I joined the Royal Shakespeare Company [RSC] in 2013, and since then I have totally immersed myself in the works of Shakespeare. It\u2019s always the language that brings me back to him \u2013 for a writer to be able to find the words to articulate such variety of human experience is simply incredible.<\/p>\n
Could you tell us about the plays you are currently directing for the RSC?<\/h3>\n
Henry VI, Parts 2 and 3<\/em> are two rarely performed Shakespeare plays that depict the events leading up to the Wars of the Roses<\/a> [1455\u201387], which was one of the bloodiest periods in English history. It is an epic story about feuding families, politics, power, ego and barbarism. In this version, I have edited the plays so that all five battles take place in the second part, which we are calling Wars of the Roses<\/em>, while the events that lead us to the battlefield are depicted in the first part, which we have entitled Rebellion<\/em>.<\/p>\n One of the challenges when it comes to directing Shakespeare is the sheer scale of it. It\u2019s not just the story itself and the number of fights and characters you have to consider, but also the scale of the language and the arguments.<\/p>\n It is a real workout both physically and mentally to invest and commit to them. But that is also the total joy of working with Shakespeare. During rehearsals we have the pleasure of grappling with these huge themes, which we then get to share with an audience. Challenging, but incredibly thrilling.<\/p>\n With Wars of the Roses <\/em>and Rebellion<\/em>, I have edited the original text to create something that feels more filmic, immediate and urgent. While I haven\u2019t changed the language itself, I have done this because I feel that modern audiences often respond well to a certain speed of storytelling that they are familiar with due to their engagement with TV and film.<\/p>\n I also think that these works \u2013 which Shakespeare wrote when he was 27 \u2013 feel very young and energetic, so I was motivated to highlight this in my edit. There is a roughness to them, and I never wanted to get in the way of that. So, although my version is very much an interpretation, I hope they represent the essence of what Shakespeare was trying to achieve. these plays deal with real events and figures.<\/p>\n There are two versions of history for me \u2013 real history and Shakespeare\u2019s history. In these works, Shakespeare plays fast and loose with real history, so although as a history geek I love to read about what actually happened, it is always important for me to follow his interpretation. Shakespeare was interested in creating drama and highlighting the human struggles within the history, so that is where my attention must go as well.<\/p>\n For example, when depicting the battle of Towton [1461], he starts with a group of egos, hell-bent on revenge, flinging insults back and forth. By doing this, he reveals it is personal vendetta and pride that causes thousands of people to die, not some heroic mission. I\u2019m continually amazed by the incredible insight and empathy Shakespeare shows for the human experience and how relevant his observations are today.<\/p>\n It is an interesting question and one I thought about a lot about during the Covid lockdowns. As I say, it comes back to how Shakespeare presents the full breadth of human experience in his plays and how, over the centuries, these experiences still resonate with us. Whether it is a Scottish king holding two bloody daggers or a young girl standing on a balcony, he writes about the unresolved matters that surround our lives.<\/p>\n Similarly, as Henry VI<\/a> sits on a molehill watching the bloodshed before him, he imagines another life \u2013 one of routine and order \u2013 and wishes to be released from the burden and pain he feels as king. No one in the audience is a king, but as he articulates that need, I think we feel our own sense of despair and helplessness when faced with war.<\/p>\n Member exclusive |<\/strong> In this HistoryExtra<\/em> podcast series, we explore some of Shakespeare\u2019s most famous works and what they reveal about history. From Hamlet to Romeo and Juliet, uncover the past with leading historians\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> What are the key challenges when directing a Shakespeare play?<\/h3>\n
![\"Daniel](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/05\/325834Wars-of-the-Roses-rehearsal-photos-20222022-20b9e6a-e1715694333442.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413\" "\\"Daniel")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>How do you engage a modern audience while staying true to the script?<\/h3>\n
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Does this make it easier or harder when directing?<\/h3>\n
![\"Richard](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/05\/325552Henry-VI-Rebellion-rehearsal-photos-20222022-b01ce34-e1715694253268.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413\" "\\"Richard")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>Why do you believe audiences still come back to see Shakespeare?<\/h3>\n
Shakespeare: Past Master<\/h4>\n
Listen to all episodes now<\/a><\/h4>\n
![\"shakespeare_insta_480\"](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/05\/shakespeareinsta480-0ea68e3.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556\" "\\"shakespeare_insta_480\\"")
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