This workshop was an active exploration of the Donmar’s production of HENRY IV by Phyllida Lloyd, and gave me the chance to approach the text, to explore the themes of the play, and to gain a greater insight into how the production was developed in rehearsals.

We explored questions such as ‘why are single-gender Shakespeare plays so popular?’ As well as looking into the idea of men’s relationship to space, and how generally women feel like they need to apologise for the space they occupy, which they shouldn’t have to.

This is demonstrated in the physicality of the actresses in Henry IV, who externalise characteristics of male movements/ positions. We also had interesting discussions about the themes of falsehood, honour and intelligence, devising and creating short improvisations around these ideas.

The workshop gave me valuable insight into contemporary Shakespeare productions, not just performed in a classical way, but also with modernised language and concepts. It revealed to me just how much can be done with Shakespeare in a unique and interesting way, and gave me a solid understanding on how to approach contemporising Shakespeare.