by Mirela Sandu Gheorghiu, photo: Parrabbola Company
As part of the BABEL 2025 edition, the performance “Henry V: The Man and the Monarch” offered the audience a bold, contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s play, directed by Philip Parr and brought to life with strength and subtlety by actor Brett Brown.
Hosted in the “Mihai Dimiu” Studio Hall, the show proposed an intimate and focused theatrical form: a one-man show that managed to foreground the complexity of an emblematic historical figure – King Henry V – without elaborate sets or theatrical flourishes. Everything relied on the power of the word, the actor’s stage presence, and a direct connection with the audience.
Philip Parr, a British director with extensive experience in both classical and contemporary theatre, is known for his ability to bring Shakespearean texts closer to today’s audiences, preserving their essence while infusing them with new energy. Parr is also the director of the York Shakespeare Festival, and his work often explores the relationship between history, power, and responsibility through direct and expressive theatrical forms. In “Henry V”, this vision was evident in every detail: in the simplicity of the form, the depth of the performance, and the choice to portray the king’s story not as a myth, but as that of a man.
Far from the image of a distant monarch, “Henry V: The Man and the Monarch” invited us to discover the human being behind the crown. Brett Brown skillfully navigated the vulnerabilities, decisions, and inner struggles of a ruler caught between duty to his country and his own profound humanity.
The performance was vivid, nuanced, and emotionally charged, offering the audience a fresh perspective on the classic text. Spectators witnessed an inner battle, fought not only with visible enemies but, more importantly, with personal doubts and the immense weight of responsibility that comes with leadership.
The show resonated perfectly with the spirit of BABEL – a festival that highlights artistic forms that provoke, question, and build bridges between eras, cultures, and mindsets. In “Henry V: The Man and the Monarch”, we witnessed a living, contemporary Shakespeare, speaking directly about power, leadership, decision-making, and fragility – themes that remain just as relevant today.
This minimalist adaptation proved once again that theatre doesn’t need grand sets to move its audience – only a story told truthfully, and an actor who believes in what he conveys.
For the Babel Festival 2025 audience, the encounter with “Henry V: The Man and the Monarch” was a moment of pause – a break from everyday hustle, where theatre became a space for reflection. The performance invited introspection, a closer look at the mechanisms of power, and a deeper exploration of our own humanity.