Henry IV - Part 1 - a Version Eugene Kusterer

The action of this play takes place during the reign of Henry IV, hence the title---as with the play "Henry V". But Shakespeare's real interest is to tell the story of the son, the Prince of Wales who is on his way to becoming Henry V. This back-story includes Prince Henry's involvement with a gang of wastrels and thieves led by the one and only Sir John Falstaff. Here we are introduced to one of the Bard's most fascinating creations in the person of Falstaff -- perhaps second only to Hamlet! In the course of transforming himself, Falstaff transforms a dry telling of English history into a comedy of sorts (not the farce of "Merry Wives").