Barrie Rutter brings his travelling band of players to The Round with Shakespeare’s Henry V. You feel that you know all the actors as they grace different parts to bring their northern brand of clear diction to the parts of Britain that have forgotten how to use it. This time the audience is given Shakespeare in the round, a round wooden platform that is used to present this masterpiece of English literature. It turns into a delight with Rutter’s drums heralding entrances and battles. Why do men go to war for another man’s whim?

Conrad Nelson takes the lead role of Henry and combines with the rest of the cast to compete to give a great performance whether their part be large or small. The spoken French is very convincing and adds authenticity to the production. Barrie Rutter’s performance as the Chorus just gives that edge to the play. The singing of the full company is something to be savoured.

This is a great night out at the theatre and with their unique way of presenting Shakespeare it makes those who have not seen it before beg to go and sample more. The words, the diction, the story make for a fine evening at the theatre. This is one of the worlds great Shakespeare companies — and they get better each time you see them. © BA

“Henry V” is at the Round in Scarborough from the 31st of March until the 2nd April of March, 2003 and then continues touring.