Tabling: The Podcast

And thus, we conclude our journey of Henry IV, Part II with our discussion of Act V!

We celebrate the return to the country justices and one last drinking scene, we talk Falstaff’s long con and how he loses his heart to Hal in the process, we discuss the demands of of public leadership, status negotiations within the royal family, the incarceration of the working class, the pain of saying goodbye to childhood and carelessness, and conclude talking about catharsis and collective action in the epilogue.

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part II includes Samantha Blinn, Rhoda Bodzin, Amber Devlin, Eric Devlin, Ellyn Heald, Marty Madden, Mike Marcou, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Noah Segard, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

We tackle the massive Act IV of Henry IV, Part II.

Among many thing we talk about the opacity of specific grievances from the rebellion, the super degraded and violent imagery that the Archbishop employs, how important beverages are and the virtues of drinking, how the King seems to be constantly pulled between his two opposing interpretations of Hal, care having a very negative and corrosive connotation in the play, and the conflict and conflation of family and power.

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part II includes Samantha Blinn, Rhoda Bodzin, Amber Devlin, Eric Devlin, Ellyn Heald, Marty Madden, Mike Marcou, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Noah Segard, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

*Also as a side note: Humfrey is indeed the Duke Humfrey of the famous Oxford library!

On to Act III of Henry IV, Part II…

We talk about how Shakespeare teaches us that Kings are incapable of sleeping, how both sides in the civil war characterize the opposing side as a disease upon the realm, the introduction of Justice Shallow mixing dialogue about the cost of livestock, reliving youth, profound enumerations of friends gone, and Falstaff taking a back seat in the scenes to introduce new comedic characters in acts two and three.

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part II includes Samantha Blinn, Rhoda Bodzin, Amber Devlin, Eric Devlin, Ellyn Heald, Marty Madden, Mike Marcou, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Noah Segard, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

Moving on to Act II of Henry IV, Part II!

Among many things, we talk the Hostess and Falstaff’s money and romantic entanglements, the discordant realities between Falstaff and the Lord Chief Justice, the furthering of Hal and Poin’s friendship, the introduction of the glorious Doll Tearsheet and the ferocious and fantastical Pistol, and the poignancy of Hal trying and failing to ‘go back to what it was.’

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part II includes Samantha Blinn, Rhoda Bodzin, Amber Devlin, Eric Devlin, Ellyn Heald, Marty Madden, Mike Marcou, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Noah Segard, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

Time to start a new play! Join us as we commence our journey through Henry IV, Part II with our Act I discussion with a brand new ensemble!

We discuss the striking appearance of the character of Rumor at the start of the play, the insecurity of information and fake news, Northumberland’s emotional disassociation, the clash of Falstaff and the Lord Chief Justice, and the rebellion’s acrobatic metaphors.

Our Ensemble for Henry IV, Part II includes Samantha Blinn, Rhoda Bodzin, Amber Devlin, Eric Devlin, Ellyn Heald, Marty Madden, Mike Marcou, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Noah Segard, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

We conclude our exploration of Henry IV, Part I with our Act V Discussion!

Join us as we talk diplomacy and tactics, family and political pragmatism, Hal’s plan and how it’s working, Hotspur’s end and the failure of words, and the puzzle of Falstaff’s innocence and cynicism.

Also for more detailed information about Prince Hal’s actual injury check out the link below - warning, it’s pretty grotesque. https://www.medievalists.net/2013/05/prince-hals-head-wound-cause-and-effect/

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part I includes Brittany Chandler, Andrew Codispoti, Deborah Davis, Sam Gilroy, Lynn Goodwin, Mitchel Kawash, Nicholas Koy Santillo, Genevieve Simon, Kelly Strandemo, Alexandra Tatarsky, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

It’s rebel time…we take on Act IV of Henry IV, Part I.

Among many things, we chart the rebellion’s political spins, the royal family coming together as the Percy Family falls apart, military tactics, and class segregation in the army.

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part I includes Brittany Chandler, Andrew Codispoti, Deborah Davis, Sam Gilroy, Lynn Goodwin, Mitchel Kawash, Nicholas Koy Santillo, Genevieve Simon, Kelly Strandemo, Alexandra Tatarsky, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

On to Act III of Henry IV, Part I !

In this pivotal act, we examine Glendower’s significance as a Welsh folk hero, the status games within the rebellion leadership, the power and very different energies of the three female characters of the play, pin pointing moments of character change in the text, the emotional resonance of repeated sounds, and many other things!!

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part I includes Brittany Chandler, Andrew Codispoti, Deborah Davis, Sam Gilroy, Lynn Goodwin, Mitchel Kawash, Nicholas Koy Santillo, Genevieve Simon, Kelly Strandemo, Alexandra Tatarsky, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

We take the whole episode to look at the longest scene in the play, the epic tavern scene, Act II, Scene IV of Henry IV, Part I.

Breaking it down into four mini scenes, we discuss Falstaff’s skill at wriggling out of tight spots, the complicated psychology of Hal and Falstaff “playing the king,” and “banishing the world,” and tracking the private moments in this public tavern space.

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part I includes Brittany Chandler, Andrew Codispoti, Deborah Davis, Sam Gilroy, Lynn Goodwin, Mitchel Kawash, Nicholas Koy Santillo, Genevieve Simon, Kelly Strandemo, Alexandra Tatarsky, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

Moving on, we delve into the first half of Act II of Henry IV, Part I.

Join us as we examine the details and textures of the world of the play, transitioning from the throne room to a truck stop, everyday dangers, and a deep dive into the complexities of the relationships between Falstaff and Prince Hal and between Hotspur and Lady Percy.

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part I includes Brittany Chandler, Andrew Codispoti, Deborah Davis, Sam Gilroy, Lynn Goodwin, Mitchel Kawash, Nicholas Koy Santillo, Genevieve Simon, Kelly Strandemo, Alexandra Tatarsky, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.