HENRY VI, PART Iii at the Phoenix Theatre

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HENRY VI, PART iii At The Phoenix Theatre

THE THRONE IS UP FOR GRABS. Years of political unrest has led England into a Civil War. Two rival noble families vie for control of the English Crown, and they will both kill to have it. WHY PRODUCE THIS PLAY TODAY? Something about two totally opposed parties fighting an intense ideological (and physical) fight for the future of a nation felt relevant.

Hey, this is one of WHY DID SHAKESPEARE only TWO portraits that portray me WRITE ALL THESE accurately. Pretty HISTORY PLAYS? handsome, right? Short answer: We don’t know! Guess he liked history! “This pretty lad will Longer answer: Looking at the stories he chose to tell prove our country’s bliss. we can get an idea of his motivations, and the themes he His looks are full of might have wanted to explore with his work. Like, peaceful majesty, “When is it right to rebel?” “Does divine justice exist?” His head by nature “The human cost of a King’s wars” framed to wear a crown.”

There is an element of the histories that celebrate the -Henry V current royal household, the Tudors. This is clear in But when your Queen might come and Shakespeare’s glowing description of Richmond (the see your show that’s about her family, you future King Henry VII) in Henry VI, Part III. might want to say something nice.

ACT 1 Henry VI Part III begins after Warwick has defeated Henry in battle. When York and Henry meet in the King John throne room, Henry agrees to make York his heir, Edward III thereby keeping power while disinheriting his son Prince Edward. Angered by this concession, Queen Margaret leads her army against York. She captures, taunts, and Richard II kills York. Clifford aids her, seeking revenge for his Henry IV, Part I father’s death. Henry IV, Part II York’s sons, Edward and Richard, welcome Warwick as Henry V } their ally, despite his retreat before the Queen’s forces. Meanwhile, Margaret and Clifford try to convince Henry Henry VI, Part I to void his agreement with York, but he is hesitant. In Henry VI, Part II the next battle, King Henry withdraws to contemplate the evil effects of civil war on both the fathers and the sons Henry VI, Part III of his subjects. Richard III } Henry flees to Scotland as a victorious Edward claims Henry VIII the English throne. Edward sends Warwick to arrange a marriage for him with the French King’s sister, Bona. Henry returns to England in disguise but is captured and imprisoned. We’re doing this one! ACT 2 Edward becomes enamoured by and proposes to Lady Now freed, Henry makes Warwick and George roy- Grey. Richard, now Duke of Gloucester, reveals his al protectors, planning to spend the rest of his life in ambition to become king. peace. However, Edward escapes from prison with the help of Richard and recaptures Henry, impris- Queen Margaret and the Prince seek aid in France, oning him in the Tower of London. where they run into Warwick proposing on Edward’s behalf. Lewis and Bona agree to the arrangement, but Warwick refuses to yield to King Edward and dies soon after a messenger arrives with the news of Edward’s in the ensuing battle, while George rejoins Edward’s marriage to Lady Grey. Warwick is insulted and joins forces. Prince Edward is killed by Edward, George, with Margaret to free Henry and depose Edward. and Richard. Margaret pleads for death but is exiled to France instead. Edward and his Queen, At the same time, George, (another son of York), now Elizabeth (Lady Grey) prepare to enjoy their reign, Duke of Clarence, is dismayed at the marriage and joins not knowing that Richard has sought out and killed Warwick’s forces. Together, they take King Edward King Henry. He now plans for his own rise to the prisoner. throne, detailed in Shakespeare’s Richard III.

HOUSE OF LANCASTER: RED ROSE HOUSE OF (in order of appearance) YORK: WHITE ROSE WARWICK Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick. YORK Fun Facts: Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York. Richard would have been EDWARD 2 years old at the start of Edward IV. HENRY VI PART iii. MONTAGUE John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montague. RICHARD Somerset’s disembodied Richard III. head makes its debut in SOMERSET the first scene of the play. Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset. NORFOLK John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. Clifford was famously KING HENRY VI known as“Butcher Clifford”. Henry VI. Best not to get on his bad side! NORTHUMBERLAND Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland. Queen Margaret, the “She-Wolf CLIFFORD of France”, was generally fierce John Clifford, 9th Baron Clifford. and strong-willed, but was also WESTMORELAND a great lover of learning: John Neville, Baron Neville. she helped establish EXETER Queen’s College, Cambridge. Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter. QUEEN MARGARET KING LEWIS XI Margaret of Anjou. King Louis XI of France. PRINCE EDWARD BONA Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales. Bona of Savoy, Duchess of Milan. RUTLAND SOMERSET Edmund, Earl of Rutland. Edmund Beaufort, 4th Duke GEORGE of Somerset. George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of RIVERS Clarence. Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl LADY GREY of Rivers. Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England. HENRY OF RICHMOND

SO THIS IS A TRILOGY, RIGHT? WHAT HAPPENS IN THE TWO PREVIOUS PLAYS? WHAT WAS “THE WAR OF ROSES” AND WHY WAS IT CALLED THAT? In PART I, King Henry V dies, and Henry VI becomes king. While he’s still young, the nobles? This was an English Civil War that rule England and fight against the French (includ- lasted from 1455-1487. It was raged ing Joan of Arc!). When the crown fits Henry’s between the HOUSE OF LAN- head, the noble houses devide and take sides CASTER (red rose) and the HOUSE between YORK and LANCASTER. OF YORK (white rose) over the throne. In PART II, Henry marries the pennniless Margaret of Anjou against the wishes of The war eventually ended in the the nobles. Turns out, she’s plotting elimination of both male lines in the against him with her lover. Yikes. families. When Henry of Richmond As tensions between YORK and defeated Richard III, Richmond LANCASTER build, the Duke of York claimed the throne and started the gathers supporters for his claim to the throne. Tudor dynasty. The Tudor Rose was York secretly leads a rebellion, created to symbolize the unity be- his supporters proclaim him king, tween Lancaster and York. and Henry flees. Kingdoms are but cares State is devoid of stay, Riches are ready snares, And hasten to decay Pleasure is a privy prick The real Which vice doth still provoke; Henry VIPomps, imprompt; and fame, a flame; wrote this Power, a smoldering smoke. poem! Who meanth to remove the rock Owst of the slimy mud Shall mire himself, and hardly scape The swelling of the flood.

© THE PHOENIX THEATRE Edward III Phillipa of Hainailt I __I ______I ______I ______I______I_ John of Gaunt Edward Lionel Edmund Thomas Duke of Lancaster Prince of Wales Duke of Clarence Blanche of Catherine Duke of York D. Gloucester Joan I Lancaster Swynford I of Kent ___I I ______Phillipa I I I Edmund Henry IV John Beaufort Edward I Earl of Somerset Mortimer Duke of York Richard II I I______I ______I Roger MortimIer Henry V Henry John Earl of Duke of Edmund Queen I Somerset Somerset Second Duke of Margaret ______I Somerset ___ I I I I Richard Henry VI Margaret Anne Edmund Edmund Earl of I Beaufort Tudor Fourth Cambridge Prince Earl of Duke of I Richmond I Edward Henry VII Somerset Richard* Cecily Neville Duke of York I I______I______I______I______I______I_____I Anne Edward IV Rutland Elizabeth Margaret George / Richard III © THE PHOENIX THEATRE Duchess of Lady Grey Duchess of Duchess of Clarence Exeter Suffolk Burgundy I______I ______I WHITE : HOUSE OF YORK Elizabeth RED : HOUSE OF LANCASTER Edward V Richard of York Duke of York : KING : BECOMES KING : MARRIED