The cast stand on stage in full armour

Henry IV, Part I

William Shakespeare

The second play in Shakespeare's series of histories, musing on the realities of wielding power.

Part I
With his crown under threat from enemies both foreign and domestic, Henry IV prepares for war. As his father gets ready to defend his crown, Prince Hal is languishing in the taverns and brothels of London, revelling in the company of his friend, the notorious Sir John Falstaff. With the onset of war, Hal must confront his responsibilities to family and throne.