The Henriad Finale

In a dramatic triple-header, the Guthrie Theater plays host to three plays by William Shakespeare which each form part of The Henriad, the celebrated playwright's history of 14th and 15th century English kings. Chronicling the drama, strife and political power struggles which gripped the throne, as with all of Shakespeare's timeless work they're as much an exploration of the human condition as they are his account of England's history.

After a long wait, Henry V finally succeeds his father to the throne, finding his country in disarray. Political tension and the fatigue of civil war have left the English dissatisfied and in need of a strong leader. But first he must win their respect and trust after a youth misspent in London's seedy Boar's Head Tavern, running amok with thieves and vagabonds. Hoping war with France will win over his people, he sets out to prove himself as a warrior king like his forbears by leading his troops into English-held Normandy to the Battle of Agincourt.