Antaeus opens its 2015 season with “Henry IV, Part I”

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Feb. 10, 2015 - PRLog -- Antaeus, L.A.’s classical theater ensemble, opens its 2015 season with a fully partner-cast production of William Shakespeare’sHenry IV, Part I. Part comedy, part tragedy, part growing-up tale of youthful rebellion, the story of a burgeoning king remains one of Shakespeare’s most exciting histories. From drunken revelry to the bloody battlefield, Antaeus’ lean and muscular version, streamlined for a cast of 12, dives deep into the heart of the timeless question, “What does it mean to become a man?”

Young Prince Hal is the son of England’s King Henry IV who usurped the crown from King Richard II. But Hal is not interested in princely matters, and wastes his time in taverns with the lower classes — particularly a bunch of rowdy, drunken thieves, presided over by the fat, merry and wanton knight, Sir John Falstaff. When his father’s crown is threatened by a rebellion, young Hal is forced to forsake his dissolute and bawdy ways and return home to defend the kingdom.

“This is the great epic poem of England,” says director Michael Murray. “It includes the entire spectrum of British society, from the highest to the lowest levels. But what particularly interests me are the personal relationships — the human stories that are at the forefront when you work directly from the text, rather than from popular notions about the play that have developed over the centuries.”

In the Antaeus tradition best known as “partner casting,” two actors share every role, working together throughout the rehearsal process to enrich the creative experience for both cast and audience. As a result, audiences never see an understudy, and frequently return to see the same play in the hands of an equally excellent but very different set of actors.

Performances of Henry IV, Part I take place March 12 through May 3 on Thursdays and Fridays at 8 pm;Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no matinee performance on Saturday, March 14). There will be six previews, March 5-11: Thursday, Friday,Saturday,Tuesday and Wednesday, all at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.Tickets to the opening night performances on March 12 and March 13 are $34, after which all tickets are $30 on Thursdays and Fridays and $34 on Saturdays and Sundays; previews are $15. The Antaeus Company is located at 5112 Lankershim Blvd in North Hollywood,CA 91601. Parking is available for $7 in the lot at 5125 Lankershim Blvd. (west side of the street), just south of Magnolia. The theater is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible. For reservations and information, call 818-506-1983.