Jude will begin rehearsals for Michael Grandage’s Henry V next month, and the director is beaming about the casting decision.
“Henry V is about a young king — and Jude’s at the peak of his powers,” Grandage told the Daily Mail. “He’s in very good nick, which is why he should play Henry now. I wouldn’t want to see him do it in ten or 15 years time; he’d be far too old. The best time is right now. He’s got the charisma and acting power to do it.”
Grandage said that he and Jude meet constantly to discuss the role, which will be the fifth and final production of the Michael Grandage Company’s inaugural season.
‘There are 850 lines for Henry — it’s a massive role to master,’ Grandage said. He explained that the play explores many themes, including nationalism and leadership, though the more resonant topic, he noted, would be the debate over the moral dilemma of war.
Shakespeare’s Henry V is set to begin previews at the Noel Coward Theatre on November 23, 2013, and will run through February 15, 2014.
The official description of the production reads: “Can the King of England hold his nerve to embrace his duty, command his men and lead his country to victory in France? Shakespeare’s great play of nationhood investigates the bloody horrors of war and the turbulence of a land in crisis. Jude Law and Michael Grandage continue their collaboration that began with Hamlet in 2009. Law also appeared in the Donmar’s award-winning productionAnna Christie, as part of Grandage’s final season as Artistic Director.”
Law will be joined by an ensemble featuring Ron Cook (Pistol), Michael Hadley (Canterbury), Norman Bowman (Nym), James Laurenson (Exeter) and Ashley Zhangazha (Chorus). For more about the show, click here.
