‘The King’s Face’ @ The Core Theatre
Photos by Autumn McNamara; show poster/photo (bottom center) by Gwenivere Webb
—Jan Farrington
The Core Theatre’s impressive production of The King’s Face reminded me last night that sometimes, it’s enough—more than enough, in fact—to have two actors on a stage with a good script. Grab the popcorn and let ‘er rip.
The two are James Hansen Prince and Joey Folsom, both artistic directors of long-running North Texas theater companies (Prince heads Core Theatre, Folsom The Classics Theatre Project). And the script is from the multi-talented actor/director/professor Steven Young (a face familiar to area theater fans; he recently played Romeo in an R&J positing an older couple who fall in love, to the dismay of their children). Young’s play, btw, had a well-reviewed premiere in London a few years ago.
The King’s Face is a Shakespeare “tweak” of sorts, a prequel to Henry V that finds us earlier in time. Henry is a young prince, and his royal father (Bolingbroke aka Henry IV, if you know your English history plays), an intimidating and ruthless gent, is training him up in the ways and rules of warfare.
But not at the moment. Prince Henry is out of the fight for now, badly wounded by an arrow…to the face. Did it really happen? Yes. Young’s plot takes off from this premise, and he’s very clever about finding ways to keep us worried and tense about the outcome—even though we know Henry survives to become, you know…the Fifth.
The prince will need a miracle to survive such a wound; most did not. King Henry, giving up on his hapless “physicians,” remembers an inventive man of science (surgeon, metallurgist, etc.) who’s run afoul of the law. Knowing he can tie Johnathon Bradmore’s fate to the life of his son, the king brings Bradmore (James Hansen Prince) from prison to young Henry (Joey Folsom). And the sparks fly: Prince Henry is waiting to die, but he’s in no mood for more agonizing and useless “poking.”
The shifting tone of the dialogue—from fury to pain to laughter—ought not to work, but it does. Henry roars and prays (the wild mood swings perhaps connected to his wound). Bradmore presents a calm, reasonable persona (though he must be terrified of the king’s wrath if he fails). There are multiple “medical” episodes that make us flinch, and give fervent thanks for modern medicine. But Bradmore’s poking has results: he may have found a way to remove the metal arrowhead lodged in the prince’s cheek…or at least, to try.
Over days in Henry’s isolated room, the two men exchange life stories, argue about war and peace—and talk about women. The medieval dude-humor here is hilarious: a curious prince, a reluctant purveyor of (fairly suspect) wisdom on the subject.
Are they becoming friends? “May I call you Henry?” asks Bradmore (after the prince begins calling him “John”). “No,” says Henry. The recently royal are always so touchy.
One of the tender threads of the story is Henry’s love and respect for the maligned King Richard II, starved to death by Henry’s father and others, who wanted the crown but wouldn’t (directly) kill a king. The prince says Richard "raised me,” and historically the boy prince did indeed live in Richard II’s household for a time. He remembers a gentle and kind father figure, unlike his own—and Henry won’t have Bradmore rehashing the vicious lies spread about Richard since his death.
A round of applause for this lively and compelling piece, directed by playwright Young himself. The English-accented dialogue was expertly coached by Anthony Magee; the spare stone-walled set (a bed and a royal banner) and the quite convincing medieval joinery (the putting-together of the furniture) are by James Prince; and the look/cut/fabric of Rhonda Gorman’s costumes is entirely right.
As of this writing, there are only five more performances of The King’s Face on offer. Shakespeare folk should be flocking to see this “little touch of Harry”—in a very different context. It’s well worth your time.
WHEN: January 19-22, January 25-28, February 2-3, 2024
WHERE: Core Theatre, 518 West Arapaho, Richardson TX
WEB: thecoretheatre.org
