Review: HENRY IV, PART I at Lancaster Shakespeare Theatre Offers Comedy, Intrigue, and Action

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

Eastern

Central

Western

West End

WEST END

UK Regional

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

TV/Movies

Music

A delightful mix of comedy, political intrigue, and sword fighting

POPULAR

Get all the top news & discounts for Central Pennsylvania & beyond.

Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1 is believed to have been written in the 1590s. One of his most popular works, this play uses both drama and comedy to explore themes of leadership, honor, political unrest, and war. The Lancaster Shakespeare Theatre takes on this thrilling story May 21-31 at the Green Room Theatre under the direction of Justin Hopkins with stage manager Julia Chlaifer, intimacy choreographer Katherine Campbell Rossi, and fight director Dan Griffin.

The set and lighting by Jacob Sikorski are well-suited to the space and beautifully designed to heighten emotions and create quick scene changes. The costumes (by Courtney Whipple), makeup (by stage manager Julia Chlaifer), and props combine the modern with the Shakespearean in a way that helps us to remember that, no matter how much things change, many things remain the same—a story written in the 1590s is still eerily relevant today. This reviewer found the acoustics in the space a bit difficult, particularly when paired with the sound effects (by Vienna Greenlee-Brown) and background noise, both of which are too loud for the actors’ voices. When actors speak too quickly or drop their pitch, it is difficult to make out the words and follow exactly what is happening from where this reviewer was sitting.

Along with the stellar lighting and staging, one of the most impressive production aspects of this show is the fight choreography. Fight director Dan Griffin, with assistant fight choreographer Daryll Perkins and fight captain Charlie Duvall, create stunning fight sequences that are enacted beautifully by the cast. The fight scenes are so thoroughly engaging, one can hear gasps and exclamations from the audiences.

The cast includes (as listed in the program) Makayla Bayer (The Wife of Bath), Natalie Beckman (Lady Percy), Gabriel Cassata (Westmoreland), Emilia Cuneo (Vernon), Greg Davies (Owen Glendower/Richard II), Charlie Duvall (John of Lancaster), Megan Esh (Lady Mortimer), James Garman (Sir Walter Blunt), Jagger Gilleland (Peto; on opening night this role was performed by director Justin Hopkins ), Dan Griffin ( Prince Hal ), Nathaniel James Hawley (Douglas), Gene Hole (Northumberland), Pen Hoover (Sheriff), Dylan Kranch (Poins), Scott Lichtenwalner (Worcester), Philip A. Lisi (Bardolph), David Martin (Mortimer), Luke Miller (Hotspur), Elizabeth Pattey (Falstaff), Nancy Pletcher (Mistress Quickly), Tyhir Rodriguez (The Watch), Dustin Schneider (The Pardoner), Noelle Stringer (Servant/Messenger), Chris Underhill (The Clerk), and Chris Wagenseller (King Henry).

The entire cast works well together to present the audience with a production of Shakespeare that is entertaining, intriguing, fluid, and relatively easy to follow even when the lines are more difficult to hear. Every single cast member is perfectly in character throughout the performance, even when the spotlight so to speak isn’t on them. This lends a great deal of realism to the scenes and keeps the audience’s attention. Additionally, director Hopkins utilizes his cast’s additional talents, including lovely singing by Beckman and Esh, delightful pipe playing by Cassata, live trumpet playing, and the comedic, almost clown-like talents displayed by various cast members during the parade of Falstaff’s motley army.

There are a few stand-out performances that deserve special mention. Greg Davies is the perfect mix of menace and mystery as both Glendower and Richard II. His performance is nuanced and subtle, and he transitions from one character to the other with small shifts in his movements and posture to differentiate between them. It is one of this reviewer’s favorite performances of the evening. Natalie Beckman’s Lady Percy is delightful—confident and spirited, she is more than a match for her husband Henry “Hotspur” Percy. Beckman and Miller (Hotspur) have fantastic chemistry on stage, and their verbal sparring is electric.

Nathaniel James Hawley fully commits to his character, the Scotsman Douglas. His accent is believable, and his every movement and expression bring Douglas to life. Charlie Duvall, Chris Wagenseller, and Dan Griffin take the stage as the royal family—John of Lancaster, King Henry, and Prince Hal , respectively. Their interactions with one another are well-crafted to illuminate their complicated feelings for one another, particularly at the end of Act I and throughout Act II. Griffin is convincing as the rebellious Prince Hal , and his transformation to responsible, dedicated son and Prince is breath-taking. While his antics with Pattey’s Falstaff and Kranch’s Poins are hilarious, showing off his comedic chops, his versatility comes to the fore with Prince Hal ’s dramatic transformation. Elizabeth Pattey is perfectly cast as Falstaff. It is easy to see why this character is so popular—with a mix of comedy and philosophy. Pattey’s line delivery is stellar, causing the audience to roar with laughter one moment and then pause in thought the next. Pattey’s interactions with the other actors give the character a sense of authenticity that is impressive.

It is well worth the time to see this production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV . Even those who may not be as familiar with Shakespeare’s historical plays will find something of interest in this show—whether it be the comedic dialogue, the political intrigue, or the fast-paced fighting. Visit lancastershakespeare.org for more information and to get your tickets to catch a performance of Henry IV at The Green Room Theatre.

Videos

POPULAR

Sign up for announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows!

© 2026 - Copyright Wisdom Digital Media , all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/central-pa/article/Review-HENRY-IV-PART-I-at-Lancaster-Shakespeare-Theatre-20260523)._