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Kingsmen streamlines 'Henry IV'
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Courtesy of Brian Stethem Richard Winterstein is Falstaff, Cy Brown is Poins and Thomas Quackenbush is Prince Hal, from left, in Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival's Henry IV."
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It's two for the price of one at the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival as a cast of seasoned players and budding talent tackles the Bard's "Henry IV," parts one and two, in one sitting .
Director John Slade's sleek adaptation hews to the story line of the reckless young prince transformed into a warrior king, tossing aside the light-hearted pranks and devil-may-care life learned from his mentor, the bibulous Sir John Falstaff. Obviously, scenes are shortened or omitted, but the core of the product is true to the sense of the original works.
One of the essentials is a credible Falstaff and the production has that nailed down by Richard Winterstein, who fleshes out the foibles of the heroically flawed character. Add to his colorful performance a feckless Prince Hal, frittering away his young life but capable of quick transition, a role played satisfactorily by Thomas Quackenbush, and a fiery Henry Percy/Hotspur fighting for a separate faction, played by Travis Brazil with muscular impetuosity, and the essentials are in place for an amusing and engrossing evening.
"Henry IV" will be performed at 8 p.m. Fridays to Sundays through Aug. 3 in California Lutheran University's Kingsmen Park, 60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks. A pre-show starts at 5:30. Tickets are $15 or two for $25; under 18 free. Lawn box reservations are $60 to $75. Dress warmly and take a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Call 493-3455 for information.
— E-mail Rita Moran at ritamoran@earthlink.net.
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