Henry VI (Wars of the Roses) & Theatre Royal

This production of Shakespeare's histories, or Wars of the Roses, starts in the middle. Just like Star Wars, says Mike Poulton in the programme notes. Northern Broadsides kick off the three-night run with episode five ('Henry VI') and run up to number eight ('Richard III'), because Shakespeare wrote those plays first, before he went back to kill off Richard II and Henrys IV and V, in episodes I to IV. And so, we're plunged straight into chaos. Henry V is dead. Ambition, pride and political manoeuvring are overtaking the rival houses of York and Lancaster as the holy, insipid child-king, Henry VI, inherits the realm. Shakespeare's biting dialogue (or torrent of insults, if you prefer) is handled with gusto here and the English nobles are played as highly believable thugs. It's a good opening night, though the music sounds slightly too cheerful at times beside the violence on stage, and the Northern English accents, while suitably gruff in general, are occasionally made to sound strangely jocular. Still, the audience are clearly into it – dozens holding the programmes open at the family tree page, to follow the complex action more closely. And credit must go to Northern Broadsides for not trying to "update" Shakespeare in setting or style – medieval Catholic England is chaotic and bloody, but swords and St. George are exactly what the audience wants. [Alasdair Gillon]