| "Henry VI, Part 1" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hollow Crown episode | |||
| Episodeno. | Series 2 Episode 1 | ||
| Directed by | Dominic Cooke | ||
| Teleplay by | |||
| Based on | Henry VI, Part 1 Henry VI, Part 2 byWilliam Shakespeare | ||
| Featured music | Dan Jones | ||
| Original air date | 7 May 2016 (2016-05-07) | ||
| Episode chronology | |||
| |||
"Henry VI, Part 1" is first episode of the second series of the British television seriesThe Hollow Crown, based on the playsHenry VI, Part 1 andHenry VI, Part 2 byWilliam Shakespeare. The episode was produced by Rupert Ryle-Hodges and directed byDominic Cooke, who also adapted the screenplay withBen Power. It starredTom Sturridge asHenry VI,Sophie Okonedo asQueen Margaret andAdrian Dunbar asRichard of York.[1] The adaptation presentsHenry VI in two parts, incorporating all threeHenry VI plays. It was first broadcast on 7 May 2016 onBBC Two.[2]
The concluding cycle of plays were produced in 2015 by the same team that made the first series and were directed by the former artistic director ofRoyal Court Theatre andOlivier Award winner,Dominic Cooke.[2] They were adapted by Dominic Cooke andBen Power. The adaptation presentsHenry VI in two parts, incorporatingHenry VI, Part 1,Henry VI, Part 2 andHenry VI, Part 3.
Executive producer Pippa Harris stated, "The critical and audience reaction toThe Hollow Crown series set the bar high for Shakespeare on screen, and Neal Street (Productions) is delighted to be making the concluding part of this great history cycle. By filming the 'Henry VI' plays as well as 'Richard III', we will allow viewers to fully appreciate how such a monstrous tyrant could find his way to power, bringing even more weight and depth to this iconic character."[3]
Once again, the production returned toKent for The Wars of The Roses, filming atDover Castle,Leeds Castle andPenshurst Place.[4]
Both Shakespeare's plays and film adaptations based on them contain numerous historical inaccuracies and anachronisms. Furthermore, this adaptation also deviates from the plays. For example, the film omits the character of theDuke of Bedford, uncle of Henry VI and regent of France; in the film the marriage of Margaret of Anjou and Henry VI is arranged by the Earl of Somerset, instead of the Earl of Suffolk, as in Shakespeare's play and as it really happened; some lines are given to other characters or are addressed to characters other than in the play.
The film, like the play, features Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March. In fact, followingHolinshed, Shakespeare conflated two persons in the character of "Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March": Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March and his uncleEdmund Mortimer, son-in-law ofOwain Glyndŵr. Neither of the two Edmund Mortimers died a decrepit old man imprisoned in theTower of London, as depicted by Shakespeare and shown in the film.
The second cycle of plays aired on consecutive Saturday evenings on BBC Two commencing Saturday 7 May 2016.[5][6]
A Region 2 DVD set ofThe Wars of the Roses was released on 20 June 2016. A Region 1 DVD set was released on 21 June 2016.
The original musicsoundtrack fromThe Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses composed byDan Jones was released on theWave Theory Records label in June 2016 and performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales[7][8]