Rose Rage - Part One

Synopsis

Rose Rage is a new look at the Henry VI plays by William Shakespeare. Rose Rage condenses Shakespeare's trilogy into two parts, which can be seen either individually or as a double event. This cut version, performed by an all-male cast, is extremely exciting and accessible to modern audiences, so if you think Shakespeare isn't your thing...think again.

Our Review:

17 June 2002

This is almost unrecognisable Shakespeare. The Propeller Theatre Company, an all-male ensemble and director, Edward Hall, have given us a Shakespeare for the MTV generation, as three long plays are compacted into two short ones. This, the first half of the Rose Rage double bill, is mainly based on Part II of the Henry VI trilogy. Indeed, there are only a few edited highlights of the original Part I (blink and you'll miss them) while Joan of Arc, most of Talbot's speeches, the sub-plot involving Gloucester's wife and various nobles are all removed.

Hall's version (which he also adapted, with Roger Warren) presents a span of history in episodic form and it works. And because there is much concentration on bloody intrigue, war and murder, there is much blood and gore. He emphasises the slaughterhouse that England has become by accompanying each killing by the cutting up of meat while beheadings are represented by cabbages being hacked in two (this effectively illustrates the b...

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Latest User Review

USER: Whatsonstage.com - 1 July 2002:

seen it, loved it, highly recommend it - both parts! See it all in one day if you can. it sounds like a long haul but it's not really, it's only four hours. There are plenty of single productions that are that long. and quite leisurely. they take about 1.5 hours in between for lunch. very very enjoyable. though all the explosive meat onstage may put your in a vegetarian mood for mealtime....

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