In focus: Terry Hands 1975

The 1975 production of Henry V, with Alan Howard in the title role, was part of a trilogy of history plays directed by Terry Hands to celebrate the centenary of the foundation of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre.

Medieval king in black leather armour wit heraldic sleeves wears crown and carries a sceptre
Alan Howard as Henry V, 1975, Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

ROYAL ATTENDANCE

Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh saw this production of Henry V in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on 27 June 1975.

FEWER ACTORS

The company for the history plays consisted of just 25 actors, half the number that performed the 1964 cycle directed by Peter Hall and John Barton. Sometimes all three plays were performed in one day, starting at 10:30am and ending at 11pm.

BEING HENRY

Alan Howard performed Henry V before going back in time to play his younger self, Prince Hal in Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, which opened afterwards. The production transferred to the Aldwych Theatre, London, before touring Europe and the USA in 1976.

FATHER AND SON

Hands' production of Henry V was revived in 1977, together with the company's first unabridged Henry VI, in which Alan Howard again played the title role.

PERSONAL VERSUS PUBLIC

Alan Howard's Henry V was an introspective man playing the part of a king, torn between his private feelings and his public responsibilities.

PRODUCTION PHOTOS

Henry (Alan Howard) exposes the traitors including Lord Scroop (Dan Meaden) in Terry Hands' 1975 production of Henry V, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Mistress Quickly (Maureen Pryor) says goodbye to the Boy (Peter Bourke) and Bardolph (Tim Wylton) as they prepare to leave for France in Terry Hands' production of Henry V, 1975, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Mistress Quickly (Maureen Pryor) says goodbye to Pistol (Richard Moore) in Terry Hands' 1975 production of Henry V, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

The French discuss their chances against the English in Terry Hands's 1975 production of Henry V, Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Shown here: the Dauphin (Geoffrey Hutchings), Montjoy (Oliver Ford Davies), the King of France (Clement McCallin) and Constable of France (Bernard Brown).

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

The Duke of Exeter (Philip Brack) and Henry V (Alan Howard) in Terry Hands' 1975 production,  Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Fluellen (Trevor Peacock) forces Pistol (Richard Moore) to eat a leek in Terry Hands' 1975 production of Henry V, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Tom Holte Theatre Photographic Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Browse and license our images

Henry (Alan Howard) rallies his troops with talk of honour in Terry Hands' 1975 production of Henry V, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Tom Holte Theatre Photographic Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Browse and license our images

Henry V (Alan Howard) urges his troops to storm the walls of Harfleur in Terry Hands' 1975 production, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images
Launch Gallery

FARRAH'S DESIGNS

“On your imaginary forces work” Chorus, Prologue

Terry Hands’ approach to the play was to emphasise the psychology rather than the history and Farrah’s highly symbolic set and costumes designs reflected this. 

In the following gallery you can see examples of Farrah's sets and costumes for the production.

MODERN-DRESS CHORUS

When the production started, the bare stage revealed actors apparently wearing rehearsal clothes.

Resembling a stage manager, the Chorus (Emrys James) emerged from the ensemble to urge the audience to use their imaginations to conjure up the settings. The Chorus remained in casual black contemporary clothes throughout.

DESIGN GALLERY

Dresser's notes for Alan Howard in Henry V, 1975, Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The list of clothes in the dressing room includes casual blue trousers, a sweater, sneakers and a black t-shirt, which were worn in the modern-dress opening . The dresser has also itemised a small crown, helmet, three swords and two daggers, all of which were worn or carried on stage by the actor at some stage during the performance.

Directed by Terry Hands © RSC Browse and license our images

“The day is yours” Montjoy, Act 4 Scene 7

In Terry Hands’ 1975 production of Henry V, the battle scenes were evoked with sounds of horses, arrows and shouts as well as Guy Woolfenden’s score of discordant trumpets. After the Battle of Agincourt, the French Montjoy (Oliver Ford Davies) tells Henry V (Alan Howard) that he is victorious. Designer Farrah has contrasted the military grey and brown of the English uniforms with the resplendent blue and gold of Montjoy’s costume, typical of the French Court. The timeless English costumes contrast dramatically with the traditional fifteenth century attire worn by the French, as if they are in completely different productions.

Photo by Tom Holte Theatre Photographic Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Browse and license our images

Henry V (Alan Howard) rallies his troops in Terry Hands' 1975 production, Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Here we see Farrah’s versatile set design: the bare ramp of the opening scenes has been raised to form the walls of Harfleur and a billowing canopy above Henry is lowered later to become the soldiers’ tents.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

In this production photo of Terry Hands' 1975 production of Henry V (Alan Howard), Henry receives the Dauphin’s gift of tennis balls. Designer Farrah's modern-dress outfits for Henry V and his court contrast with the traditional costumes worn by the Archbishop and French ambassador. After this scene, the actors gradually adopted period costume with the exception of the Chorus (Emrys James). 

Photo by Tom Holte Theatre Photographic Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Browse and license our images

“That we should dress us fairly for our end.” Henry V, Act 4 Scene 1

The red and blue heraldic tabard worn by Alan Howard as Henry V in Terry Hands' 1975 production, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, which now forms part of our extensive Costume Collection dating from 1949. Howard wore more than one tabard and during his second costume change he was helped off the cannon, then in the dressing room his tabard with a side opening was swapped for a ‘closed’ one with buckles at the side.

Designed by Farrah © RSC Browse and license our images
Launch Gallery
Handwritten diagram showing large cart and cannon settings for Henry V 1975

STAGING HENRY V 1975: PROPS AND SETTINGS

The stage management team use lists and diagrams relating to props (usually anything that appears on stage and is not scenery, and not a costume or a hat, but is moved on and off stage).

This elaborate diagram shows the settings for the large cart and cannon in the production, which was held in place using ‘chocks’, or solid wedges, to stop it moving. Interestingly, some of the weapons had a red strip on the handle, presumably for easy identification. 

Complementing the diagram is a comprehensive list of props for Prompt Side (stage left), Off Prompt (stage right) and under the stage. The large cart with cannon is mentioned as well as numerous weapons, letters, a gold chest with two tennis balls and on the prop table stage left “1 small leek - cleaned”, the latter essential in Act 5 Scene 1 where Fluellen forces Pistol to eat one. Find out more about how props are made in our Prop Shop.

Typewritten list of props for Henry V 1975

 

ON THE ROAD WITH HENRY V

1976 was a busy year for the production as it toured both domestically (London, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Sunderland, Bristol, Southampton) and internationally (New York, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Zurich, Amsterdam, Cologne).

 

Touring is always a logistical challenge but because the set included a ramp with a 1 in 12 rake that needed to be raised and lowered, the production team needed to check the dimensions of the tour venue stages, as we can see in this list. 

FRENCH CONNECTION

The tour Prompt Book included several reviews from the French press when the production played at the Odéon in Paris. Terry Hands had previously directed a French production of La Nuit des Rois (Twelfth Night) at La Comedie Française. Reviewers commended Terry Hands’ production of Henry V for its clarity, the simplicity of its design and the contrast between reality and illusion.

Alan Howard’s interpretation of Henry V was also praised for its sensitivity and verse speaking. A translation of the play into French was sold in the foyer of the Odéon before each performance.

The tour Prompt Book included several reviews from the French press when the production played at the Odéon in Paris. Terry Hands had previously directed a French production of La Nuit des Rois (Twelfth Night) at La Comedie Française. Reviewers commended Terry Hands’ production of Henry V for its clarity, the simplicity of its design and the contrast between reality and illusion. Alan Howard’s interpretation of Henry V was also praised for its sensitivity and verse speaking. A translation of the play into French was sold in the foyer of the Odéon before each performance.

 

The tour Prompt Book included several reviews from the French press when the production played at the Odéon in Paris. Terry Hands had previously directed a French production of La Nuit des Rois (Twelfth Night) at La Comedie Française. Reviewers commended Terry Hands’ production of Henry V for its clarity, the simplicity of its design and the contrast between reality and illusion. Alan Howard’s interpretation of Henry V was also praised for its sensitivity and verse speaking. A translation of the play into French was sold in the foyer of the Odéon before each performance.

 
Typewritten list of theatres and stage dimensions for Henry V tour 1976
Stage dimensions for Henry V tour venues 1976
Directed by Terry Hands © RSC Browse and license our images
Theatrical poster featuring Alan Howard as Henry V in armour, 1975

CAST AND CREATIVES

COMPANY

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, 1975

 

Peter Bourke - Boy

Philip Brack – Duke of Exeter

Bernard Brown – Constable of France

Yvonne Coulette - Alice

Philip Dunbar – Corporal Nym, Duke of Orleans

Oliver Ford Davies - Montjoy

Alan Howard – Henry V

Geoffrey Hutchings - Dauphin

Emrys James - Chorus

Stephen Jenn – Duke of Gloucester

Reginald Jessup - Earl of Westmoreland, Sir Thomas Erpingham

Clement McCallin, Clement – King of France

Dan Meaden – Lord Scroop, Williams

Ludmila Mikael - Katharine

Richard Moore – Ancient Pistol

Anthony Naylor – Duke of Clarence

Trevor Peacock – Bishop of Ely, Fluellen

Maureen Pryor – Mistress Quickly

Barrie Rutter – Earl of Cambridge, Macmorris

Derek Smith – Canterbury, Gower

Ken Stott - Jamy

Arthur Whybrow – Bates, Sir Thomas Grey

Tim Wylton - Corporal Bardolph, Monsieur Le Fer

 

CREATIVES

 

Director – Terry Hands

Designer - Farrah

Lighting designer – Stewart Leviton

Music - Guy Woolfenden

 

The RSC's archive is held at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. You can visit the Library and Archives there to look at production related information, including photos, videos of shows and stage management documents:

Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive homepage

You can search the RSC catalogue here: 

RSC performance database 

 

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