"A rousing and entertaining production"

View from a Bum finds Henry V to be "vibrant and affecting" as "a war story showing not just the high and mighty, but also the common men from all walks of life." The performances of Dugald Bruce-Lockhart, Chris Myles and Karl Davies are all lauded and the review touches on the use of music and the Chorus, lingering on the production's final moments as a parallel for contemporary issues.  [e]

Better Than TV

A short video of audience reactions and Propeller's interval show for Henry V:


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Propeller on the Radio

The guys stopped by ABC radio in Australia to talk about the shows, and the music in particular. The company performs Te Deum and Sloop John B, while Nicholas Asbury and Gunnar Cauthery speak in depth about the music and various other things.

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"This isn't just Shakespeare - this is rock and roll."

Express has a glowing report on Propeller's double feature in Cheltenham, calling Henry V's divided Chorus "a masterstroke, establishing the collective nature of the enterprise," praising The Winter's Tale for its "superbly handled" tonal shifts between Sicilia and Bohemia and commending the "superb cast" for a job well done.  [e]

Welcome, Ben Allen

This is Somerset has a brief piece on Ben Allen joining Propeller, in which he describes the company as "fantastically lively and dynamic" and "very loyal." [e]

Brave Potatoes

While the Comedy of Errors interval show has already been represented on this blog, it seems the boys expanded their repetoire while on the road. Here is the extended version with even more 80's goodness:



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The Worst Trip? The Best Trip

A bit of Propeller's interval show from Girona:



Propeller Theatre Company from Martona74 on Vimeo.

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"A brilliant production"

Blogger Andy Stansfield's decision to see Henry V paid off as he found it to be a "brilliant" production. His review touches on the lighting of Ben Ormerod, the design of Michael Pavelka, the "wonderful performance" of Dugald Bruce-Lockhart, the battles, the chorus, the music and the mastery of the language in a production he finds to be one of the best he's seen in the past year.  [e]

Breaking Down Barriers

Blogger Chis Poppe's review of Henry V concentrates on the various ways Propeller breaks down barriers between the on-stage action and the audience, highlighting the music and portrayal of violence in particular. Chris Myles, Nick Asbury, Karl Davies and Gunnar Cauthery "hit exactly the right note[s]" in their respective performances. As Henry, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart was "perfectly cast" for the wooing of Katherine and "extremely convincing" in his portrayal of a "magnanimous victor" and "a very noble king, keen to hear the names of the fallen in battle and that their names should be given due reverence. His refined bearing helped enormously in giving the impression of fairness in battle, and decency in triumph."  [e]

"A tremendous night"

Blogger Dave Quayle asks "How good was the Propeller production of Shakespeare‘s Henry V at Milton Keynes Theatre this week?" and then goes on to detail why the answer is "very." The review concentrates on specific moments and their cumulative effect, the result of all being "a tremendous night." [e]

"A very enjoyable, energetic production"

UK Theatre Network's review focuses on the plot of Henry V, finding the show "a very enjoyable, energetic production" and calling Dugald Bruce-Lockhart "excellent" in the title role.

Requiem

Henry V's Requiem, written by Gunnar Cauthery and performed by the cast.

Requiem - Propeller's Henry V by Propeller Theatre

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Dispatches from Guildford

Some more reviews of Henry V have been trickling in from their stint at the Yvonne Arnaud:

Boycotting Trends was slightly disappointed Henry V didn't quite live up to some of Propeller's previous work, but still found the evening enjoyable with fine performances from Gunnar Cauthery, Vince Leigh, Robert Hands, Tony Bell, Karl Davies and Chris Myles. Dugald Bruce-Lockhart's Henry V garnered a mixed reaction, but had a number of moments singled out for their strength.

The Public Reviews' take is almost identical, citing high expectations born from Richard III and experiencing slight disappointment overall, but enjoying the same performances and giving the production four stars. The one addition is a feeling the use of music, while effective, is also a bit schizophrenic

The British Theatre Guide has no reservations, though, summing up its thoughts on the productions as being "[p]erformed with energy, expertise, enthusiasm, effort and endless rehearsal—excellent." Tony Bell, Gunnar Cauthery and Karl Davies again get mentions while Dugald Bruce-Lokchart brings Henry to "vivid life."  [e]

Musical Interlude

Propeller has posted the Te Deum from Henry V. You can listen to it here or just click below:

Propeller - Te Deum by Propeller Theatre

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Hitting the Right Notes

A video from Propeller's stay at UMS wherein Ed Hall talks about creating the music for Richard III and Comedy of Errors.  [e]

"Sinister, Compelling and Distinctly Bloody"

...is how Catherine Love describes Richard III on The Public Reviews. Dominic Tighe's "genuinely moving maternal anguish" as Elizabeth, Tony Bell's "wonderfully venomous Queen Margaret" and Richard Clothier as the "commanding, irresistible puppet-master" all get particular commendations, as does the music.

Richard III Rehearsal Blogs

A wonderful part of the new Propeller website is the communal company blog. Haven't decided whether linking to each post is superfluous or thorough, but Jon Trenchard's rehearsal posts (here and here) are definitely worth a look, especially for anyone interested in the musical aspect of the production.