Propeller present their new production of Henry V and The Winter’s Tale at The Lowry

All-male Shakespeare company Propeller, with new performer Karl Davies who was born in Stockport and has lived in Salford, present their new production of Henry V and The Winter’s Tale at The Lowry

The Winter’s Tale   Tue 7, Thu 9 & Sat 11 February

     Henry V     Wed 8 – Sat 11 February

Press nights

The Winter’s Tale – Tue 7 Feb, 7pm

Henry V – Wed 8 Feb, 7pm

Led by Edward Hall, Artistic Director of Propeller and Director of both productions, the internationally acclaimed all-male company returns to The Lowry with a new take on the story of the greatest warrior in English folklore and a tragic fairy-tale of jealousy, guilt and redemption.

This tour sees six new company members make their debut performances with Propeller: Ben Allen, Gunnar Cauthery, Karl Davies, Finn Hanlon, Gary Shelford and Dominic Thorburn.

New Propeller member, Karl Davies, who performs with the company for the first time has local connections. He was born and raised in Stockport, and also lived in Salford for a while.  A recognizable TV face, Karl played Robert Sugden in Emmerdale, Nick Pullen in Peak Practice, and Lyle Anderson in Kingdom. He is currently back living in Manchester and will play Katherine in Henry V, and Clown in The Winter’s Tale.

Propeller combines a rigorous approach to the text with an exciting, physical aesthetic, engaging the imagination and bringing fresh understanding to classic plays.

Propeller’s new production of Henry V tells the tale of the greatest British warrior in English folklore. In a time when nationalism is at its most dangerous and exciting and increasing numbers of British servicemen and women are seeing active service, Propeller brings its own unique take on one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. Thrilling and deeply moving, Henry V marks the beginning of a journey that takes us from the corridors of Westminster to the fields of France in an evening of unforgettable power.

Propellor’s highly acclaimed 2005 production, A Winter’s Tale, tells the mysterious and extraordinary story of a man consumed by an inexplicable jealousy that destroys his family, his kingdom and himself. Wracked with guilt, Leontes sets off a chain reaction of events that leads to a miraculous climax and the chance of redemption.

Propeller is delighted that Coutts & Co will be sponsoring the UK tour of Henry V and The Winter’s Tale. This is the fourth year of their continued relationship with Propeller.

Listings Information

The Winter’s Tale:

Tue 7, Thu 9 & Sat 11 Feb

Times: Tue & Thu 7pm, Sat 8pm

Henry V

Wed 8 – Sat 11 Feb

Times: Wed 7pm, Thu 1.30pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2.30pm

Tickets: Tue – Thu & Sat 2.30pm £18 & £20

Fri & Sat 8pm £20 & £22

The Lowry Information & Box Office
Telephone 0843 2086005
www.thelowry.com
The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays M50 3AZ
Twitter @The_Lowry

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Notes to Editors

Media Enquiries

For media enquiries please contact Aimee Wood, Media Relations Executive.

Tel 0161 876 2044

Email: aimee.wood@thelowry.com

Images

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New users need to register by clicking on ‘register’ on the left hand side of the page, fill in the required information (which includes creating your own password) and click ‘create account’. You will then have immediate access to the image library.

For Propeller images please go to All Albums>Theatres>Drama>Propeller

Casts List

The Winter’s Tale

Antigones – Dugald Bruce Lockhart

Leontes – Robert Hands

Camillo – Chris Myles

Autolycus/Officer, Lord of Sicilia – Tony Bell

Paulina – Vince Leigh

Hermoine/Dorcas - Richard Dempsey

Polixines- Nicholas Asbury

Dion/Old Shepherd – John Dougall

Young Clown – Karl Davies

Florizel/Mariner – Finn Hanlon

Frist lord of Sicilia/Cleomenes – Dom Thornburn

Emilia/Mepsa – Gunnar Cauthery

Mamilius/Time/Perdita – Ben Allen

First Lady/Hermoine’s Attendant – Gary Shelford

Henry V

Henry V – Dugald Bruce Lockhart

Bishop of Ely and Constable of France - Robert Hands

Alice Exeter - Chris Myles

Fluellen/Mistress Quickly - Tony Bell

Pistol - Vince Leigh

Earl of Cambridge/D of Orleans/D of Burgundy - Richard Dempsey

Montjoy/Grey - Nicholas Asbury

King of France/York/Erpingham  - John Dougall

Katherine/Boy/Messenger/Scroop - Karl Davies

Salisbury/Nym  - Finn Hanlon

Westmorland/Governor of Harflew/French prisoner/understudy Henry - Dom Thornburn

The Dauphin/Canterbury - Gunnar Cauthery

Williams - Ben Allen

Bardolph/Bates - Gary Shelford

Edward Hall, founder and Artistic Director of Propeller

Syndicated interview with Edward Hall available on request

Edward Hall is the founder and Artistic Director of Propeller, for whom he has directed Richard III, The Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice, amongst others. In 2002, Hall directed Rose Rage, a two-part adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy. He was appointed Artistic Director of Hampstead Theatre in January 2010. He is also an artistic associate of the National Theatre, the Old Vic, and The Watermill Theatre, Newbury.

About Propeller

PROPELLER is an all-male Shakespeare company which seeks to find a more engaging way of expressing Shakespeare and to more completely explore the relationship between text and performance. Mixing a rigorous approach to the text with a modern physical aesthetic, they have been influenced by mask work, animation and classic and modern film and music from all ages. Productions are directed by Edward Hall and designed by Michael Pavelka. Propeller has toured internationally to Australia, China, Spain, Mexico, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Cyprus, Ireland, Tokyo, Gdansk, Germany, Italy, Malta, Hong Kong and the U.S.A. For further information, please visit: www.propeller.org.uk

Background Information to Henry V and The Winter’s Tale

Henry V

 Written in approximately 1599, Henry V tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War. The play is the final part of a series of History plays depicting this period, preceded by Richard II, Henry IV, part 1 and Henry IV, part 2. In Henry V, the young prince introduced in Henry IV has become a mature man and embarks on a successful conquest of France. Before the Battle of Agincourt, victory looks uncertain, and the young king's heroic character is shown by his decision to wander around the English camp at night, in disguise, so as to comfort his soldiers and find out what they really think of him. Before the battle, Henry rallies his troops with the famous "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers” Saint Crispin’s day speech.

The Winter’s Tale

One of Shakespeare’s later works, The Winter’s Tale is the epic fairytale of Leontes, King of Sicilia, who is consumed by paranoid jealousy of his childhood friend Polixenes. His suspicions lead to the destruction of his own family; the condemnation of his wife, banishment of his daughter and death of his son. The action takes place first in hot and passionate Sicilia before sweeping to the wild and magical coastline of Bohemia where Leontes’ daughter is banished. There she becomes a shepherdess and, unaware of her royal heritage, falls in love with Polixenes’ son. The young couple flee his disapproval and return to Sicilia, where her identity is revealed and forgiveness, reconciliation and redemption are made possible.