Henry IV parts one and two, Barbican

In his illustrious career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford, Gregory Doran has directed 18 of Shakespeare’s 37 plays. This will be his first time staging the two-part epic, Henry IV. It serves as a sequel to his Richard II with David Tennant, which came to the Barbican last year.
A troubled throne
The two plays span a year in the life of 15th century king, Henry IV. It begins with fierce battles and political rivalries, following the murder of Richard II. Scottish rebels threaten the English peace. But at the heart of Henry’s troubles is his son, Hal, who wastes his time with drunken Falstaff and his mistresses. The second play comes about with Hal’s long march towards the throne— and if he wishes to be a good and just king, he must shed his friends and wayward youth. 
Anthony Sher as Falstaff
The character of John Falstaff was so popular at the time that people mis-titled the plays Sir John Falstaff and Hotspur. He even went on to be the lead character in a third Shakespeare play, The Merry Wives of Windsor. Masterful Shakespearian actor Anthony Sher dominates as Falstaff in this production. Hailed by the Guardian as “magnificent” and “magnetic”, he swings between fool and villain, loyal friend and contemptuous lecher. Sher is a Shakespeare veteran: he's appeared in ten plays, on both stage and screen, famously crippling himself as the hunchback king, Richard III and portraying the fearsome Leontes in The Winter’s Tale as a maddened insomniac. To every role, he brings a unique and truthful voice.
Gregory Doran and Anthony Sher are both passionate, absurdly talented men. The first time they worked together, Doran reputedly flung a plate and glass at Sher. He joked that once Doran was appointed as Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare company, Sher would barely see him again for ten years but in fact they continue to collaborate, to universal acclaim.
Alex Hassell, who plays Hal, is another familiar face at the RSC — giving a heartbreaking and hilarious performance as Fernando in Cardenio, 2011. He recently appeared in the contentious film concerning the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays, Anonymous, and worked with Jude Law and Nicole Kidman on the civil war film, Cold Mountain. 
The huge Barbican stage is the perfect space for these elaborate RSC productions, capturing the immensity of both the battlefield and the garrulous Falstaff.