Theater Review | "Henry IV" zips through historical dramas

Theater Review |

A complete performance of the two Shakespeare plays "Henry IV, Part 1" and "Henry IV, Part 2" adds up, lengthwise, to six hours and change.

But Seattle Shakespeare Company has cut the running time in half by conflating both historical dramas into one.

Crafted recently by notable actor-director Dakin Matthews for Broadway's Lincoln Center Theatre, this brisk, eventful saga sprints along in Stephanie Shine's animated staging at Center House Theatre.

Shine and her cast skip too lightly over some historical themes rippling through the story of Henry IV's troubled reign and his son Prince Hal's maturation into a worthy scion.

But overall the show, boosted by sturdy performances in prime roles, is quite engaging.

As Hal, Tim Gouran is appealing as a bushy-tailed pup. Shaggy-haired and agile, he speaks the Bard's verse with becoming clarity and naturalness.

Gouran also has fine stage rapport with Richard Ziman, who brings many years of Shakespearean prowess to his full-bodied Falstaff, Hal's burly rascal of a mentor. Knocking back sack at a rowdy Cheapside tavern, schooling his royal protégé in the art of the flimflam, Falstaff is Hal's fun, permissive daddy.

Conversely, longtime Seattle thesp David Pichette portrays the prince's stern daddy King Henry IV with a stentorian formality that sticks out like John Gielgud at a frat-house beer bash.

But Pichette has the vocal chops for Henry Bolingbroke's grandiose demeanor. And his florid manner makes a point: As this monarch fondles and ponders his crown of gold, his way of ruling is slipping away.

Earlier, Henry plotted with others to depose wayward King Richard II. And the old-school kingship he represents — a rigid, Machiavellian command — has led to more schisms and bloodshed.

As Henry V, Hal will be a different sort of king. But first he has to kiss off the party-hearty lifestyle of the old rogue Falstaff, take up arms to defend his father and make peace between warring British factions.

The Matthews adaptation pares down the political and military strategizing in "Henry IV, Part 2" to focus on the most popular elements of the story: the verbal scrapping and lusty high jinks shared by Hal and Falstaff.

Well-preserved in the text also are the reconciling of royal father and son, and Hal's rivalry with Hotspur (Ben Gonio), the brave, rash offspring of Northumberland (Keith Dahlgren).

Gonio's crisp-spoken but indistinct Hotspur doesn't offer enough contrast with Hal, robbing their battlefield counter of its biblical charge. But their sword-and-shield fight is athletically exciting, as are the condensed number of clanging battles choreographed by Gordon Carpenter on a narrow stage flanked by patrons.

On a simple, rustic set and garbed in standard period costumes (both designed by Pete Rush), the robust players also revel in the rough and tumble spirit of Falstaff's favorite tavern, presided over by Leticia Jaramillo's laughably dim Mistress Quickly and Alycia Delmore's lovelorn barfly Doll.

Shine's pacing is swift and smooth. But the passages of historical exposition need to be spoken more meaningfully, offsetting speed with more substance.

And it couldn't hurt patrons to bone up on the synopses of both full-length "Henry IV" plays before catching this diverting combo of the two.

Misha Berson: mberson@seattletimes.com