The RCS production of Henry IV Part I was an exciting and engaging performance. One of the scenes that I found most effective was Act II, scene 3 between Hotspur and Lady Percy. This scene is important because of the dynamic it creates for their relationship. Their relationship is unique within Henry IV Part I because they are married and she has the same social status as Hotspur. The interest in this relationship comes from how the actors respond to each other, because there are many different portrayals. This was also a noticeable scene because how their marriage differs from Hotspur’s relationships with other characters.
The actor, Trevor White, who played Hotspur and Gregory Doyle created an energetic almost childish Hotspur. This personality means that Hotspur’s relationships with other characters are strained. I noticed this strain after King Henry left the room when Hotspur, Northumberland, and Worcester requested that Mortimer be allowed to return. Both Northumberland and Worcester were abusive towards Hotspur in order to show their displeasure at his actions. The first instance was when Northumberland gripped Hotspur’s ear to take him to the ground. I understand that this was done in order force Hotspur to listen to the plan for treason, but force was used. Then at the end of this scene as Worcester left the stage, he calls Hotspur over and grips the back of Hotspur’s head in order to reiterate the plan. I actually thought that the abuse was understandable because Hotspur was responding in a juvenile manner when he is supposed to be the heir of Northumberland and at the time it was normal. This did set up an expectation for me though, that Hotspur’s relationships are abusive.
Trevor White and Jennifer Kirby portrayed a Hotspur and Lady Percy that I believed were in love. I did not expect this because in my readings of Henry IV, Part 1 and in The Hollow Crown, Hotspur ignores Kate and is more interested in war than his marriage. The difference in White and Kirby’s portrayals was obvious from Lady Percy’s appearance on stage. Kate enters when Hotspur informs her he plans to leave, and Kirby’s Kate does not give her monologue in a tone that is desperate or angry. Instead I thought that Kirby delivered it with a tone of confusion and concern. When Hotspur finally acknowledges Kate, their conversation shows Kate’s concerns and Hotspur’s confusion. White demonstrates confusion through his tone of voice while responding with completely evident answers to Kate’s rhetorical comments. The fact that White chose to portray confusion as opposed to anger or indifference first lead me to pay attention to the relationship.
The body language also lent itself to support a caring relationship, though there were problems. The lines when Kate threatens to break Hotspurs finger she was not gripping his hand in a harsh manner. Hotspur’s next action was to throw Kate to the ground while he said “Away, you trifler!” This was action was more expected, especially compared to Hotspur’s relationship with his father and uncle. The fact that the next lines denied Hotspur’s love were countered by his expression when Kate says “for since you love me not, / I will not love myself” because he was devastated. Both White and Kirby presented forlorn expressions to the audience because neither actor could see the other’s face. Then came the final eighteen lines of the scene, where Kate ran to Hotspur and he picked her up in a bridal carry. In the other version I have seen Hotspur was leaving Kate behind without looking back, but these actors portrayed a couple who were close even when the husband was about to leave. In my opinion these actions gave more credence to Hotspur’s final lines to Kate “Whither I go, thither shall you go too;/ Today will I set forth, tomorrow you” because he wants to be around his wife not ignore her. The affection in this scene continued into the scene with Mortimer and his wife, and the banter between Hotspur and Kate. The anger in that scene portrayed by White and Kirby had more to do with Kate not wanting to sing when Hotspur tried to force her after Mortimer’s wife sang.
I enjoyed this portrayal of Hotspur’s and Kate’s marriage because it created a more affirmative relationship in Henry IV, Part I than any of the others. The dysfunction presented by the other relationships can make the play discouraging, so their portrayal is positive. I also think that it made Hotspur’s death more painful to the audience, because though White’s Hotspur was energetic and childish there was someone who loved him and would mourn his death. Since Hotspur is a dynamic character who does invoke a spectrum of responses from the audience and the other characters, I enjoyed being able to watch the differences in his relationships on stage.