 HENRY IV, Part 1
Rehearsals for Henry IV came at an interesting time, when our country found itself once again torn by war and heated political arguments. Once again at CST our artistic endeavors mirror life and we spend the fall exploring a play about political disagreements which some characters hope to solve by war. And once again I am reminded that violence only happens when words fail. I even get the sense in this play that if Hotspur could just continue talking – perhaps if he had talked to the king face to face himself – he might have avoided war. He is such a master of language that it is hard to imagine him failing at words. The same goes for Hal. How different the outcome might have been if these two characters had met and talked beforehand and each had realized what a splendid human being the other was. It is much harder to be an elated winner when there is no clear “ bad guy.” And Hal recognizes that immediately when remorse washes over him after killing Hotspur. What a profound moment for us all to experience through the beautiful words of William Shakespeare.
I am confident that these young actors have done it justice and I hope that they will embrace that moment and take it on with them into their modern day lives. It is my dearest wish that the words, the emotions, the questions and the answers that we all share in this room – actors and audience alike – will further our conviction to lead conscious lives. Let us seize opportunities, ask questions, embrace wonder and laugh in delight. For me, many of those moments happen right here, with my own children and yours and with all of you. I thank you!
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