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COSTUME WORN BY ROBERT STEPHENS

Henry IV, 1991  

Director:  Adrian Noble

Designer:  Deirdre Clancy

In this production Robert Stephens played Sir John Falstaff. Falstaff is a Knight and one of Prince Henry's companions. He is a comic figure, commonly portrayed as being quite fat. In most scenes he can be found eating and drinking in The Boar's Head Tavern. He is a bad influence on the prince and not a reliable friend. However he is often very popular with audiences who see him as a loveable rogue.

Stephens was praised by critics for adding a level of self-awareness into his portrayal of Falstaff. Some noticed a 'prevailing sadness about him'.

Shakespeare wrote Henry IV in two parts. They tell the story of the development of young Prince Henry into a king and the effect this has on his relationships with family, friends and subjects. This production was a sequel to Adrian Noble's highly accalaimed The Plantagenets (1988).