Henry V

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY)

The Syracuse University Department of Drama is pleased to present the second show of the 26/27 season with William Shakespeare’s “Henry V.” Directed by John Tufts, performances will be held November 13 through November 21 in the Storch Theatre at the Syracuse Stage/SU Drama Complex, 820 East Genesee St. Tickets are available through the Syracuse Stage Box Office at www.syracusestage.org/drama or by phone at 315.443.3275.

Inspired by a WWI-era photograph of soldiers performing for one another, director John Tufts has transported “Henry V” from 15^th century England and France to the bleak and bloody Allied trenches, with Shakespeare’s tale presented as a dramatic respite for beleaguered troops during the quiet moments between bombardments.

“Even amidst ruin, soldiers needed art and community,” said Tufts. “So, I asked myself, what would it be like for a group of war-weary soldiers to put on a play whose central theme is the cost of war?”

In Shakespeare’s original, powerful nobles and church leaders are pressed to reclaim England’s sovereignty over France while the young, rebellious King Henry V raises an army and carves his way to Agincourt, where his troops, depleted and exhausted, must face the enemy head-on. But with dissension in the ranks, Henry will have to prove himself a strong and legitimate ruler if he’s to inspire his men to lay down their lives for their country and their king.

A tale of intrigue, treachery, courage and triumph, the Syracuse University Department of Drama production of “Henry V” connects the distant and more recent past while nodding towards the future, reminding audiences why Shakespeare’s masterful history play remains thrillingly relevant with every passing century.