Barton Tinapp (center) starred in the History Cycle when the Guthrie Theater produced it three decades ago. /Michal Daniel
The Guthrie Theater will announce its next season in March, but it has let slip one detail. A massive detail.
The 2020-21 season will be built around William Shakespeare's History Cycle of three plays set in the 1300s and 1400s: "Richard II," "Henry IV" (originally two plays, it'll be performed as one) and the most famous, "Henry V." The last play, which includes the "Once more into the breach" battle speech, has been filmed numerous times, including by Kenneth Branagh.
Set in a time of England at war, the trilogy was last produced by the Guthrie 30 years ago, in productions that featured artistic director Joseph Haj as a young actor. In addition to marking the anniversary of those productions, the History Cycle will nod to the theater's past as a repertory theater. Although dates have not been announced, the runs will be set up so audiences can see them on the theater's thrust stage in a single, immersive weekend or spaced over the course of the run. No cast has been announced but one company will perform all three plays.
"We are both humbled and proud of the role the Guthrie plays in the national theater landscape to bring these massive works, rarely seen together, forth to modern audiences," Haj said in a press statement.
