Henry IV, Part 2 (1990, Michael Bogdanov) part 15 of 15

[GreatGrumbledook]

Overall a pretty decent performance of the two the prodigal son plays of Shakespeare; though the costumes are a mess: Medieval chain mails and tabard, Victorian dandy uniforms and suits and worse: Modern gutter folk outfit; the music was sometime very misplaced, too and I hate it when directors try with such tricks to give an ancient play some up to date relevance; but then again: The banishment of Falstaff still provides the verses for everyone to confront old but unpleasant acquaintances:

[GreatGrumbledook]

"I know thee not, old man: fall to thy prayers; How ill white hairs become a fool and jester! I have long dream'd of such a kind of man, So surfeit-swell'd, so old and so profane; But, being awaked, I do despise my dream. Make less thy body hence, and more thy grace; Leave gormandizing; know the grave doth gape For thee thrice wider than for other men. Reply not to me with a fool-born jest: Presume not that I am the thing I was; ..."

Try it yourself; it does really work, beyond wildest dreams!

[TheMusicmanMB]

Falstaff is an excellent actor. I was practically in tears when Falstaff was banished by Hal....It pisses me off that Falstaff wasn't even given the chance to change. I mean he figured hal was the same hal but with time Falstaff could have changed!!!