One Woman Screams Unto The Breach!
Eleanor Dillon-Reams is Queen of Shakespeare’s Kings in the hit show, Henry V - Lion of England, in London for the first time to commemorate the 600th anniversary of The Battle of Agincourt.
The role has been made famous in the past by Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh, but now Eleanor Dillon-Reams plays Henry V, and twelve other characters! Henry V - Lion of England was a hit at the Edinburgh Festival and has toured the UK, Ireland and the USA, but it comes to London for the first time, to a pub!
“To celebrate 21 years of the Maverick Theatre Company we thought we’d bring back the show that started it all to commemorate the Battle of Agincourt. On tour it’s been a big production, with lighting, music and special effects, but we first did it in a pub back in 1992 and we wanted to get back to that. We’ve also had four previous actors playing Henry V - all men. And our SM is female too. So it’s great that we’re now an all-woman show - apart from me, of course!”
- Writer and Maverick’s Artistic Director, Nick Hennegan
“Eleanor was just the best talent for the show. I’ve always believed in gender-blind casting and although it creates extra elements for direction, we’ve been able to add a new scene with one of the female characters and it gives an extra dimension to the piece I think.”
- Director Katie Merritt
“I've been very aware from day one that I'd be not only taking on a huge lead role but one that is famous for being played by many of the great MALE actors. Being a 20 something woman means I'm not necessarily as strong or physically big as any of the previous Henrys’ that have taken on this solo version of Henry V. It's been a real exploration, but ultimately, the piece will inevitably be different because you have a woman playing the role and that's not a hindrance, it's really bloody exciting!”
- Eleanor Dillon-Reams
Eleanor Dillon-Reams is Queen of Shakespeare’s Kings in the hit show, Henry V - Lion of England, in London for the first time to commemorate the 600th anniversary of The Battle of Agincourt.
The role has been made famous in the past by Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh, but now Eleanor Dillon-Reams plays Henry V, and twelve other characters! Henry V - Lion of England was a hit at the Edinburgh Festival and has toured the UK, Ireland and the USA, but it comes to London for the first time, to a pub!
“To celebrate 21 years of the Maverick Theatre Company we thought we’d bring back the show that started it all to commemorate the Battle of Agincourt. On tour it’s been a big production, with lighting, music and special effects, but we first did it in a pub back in 1992 and we wanted to get back to that. We’ve also had four previous actors playing Henry V - all men. And our SM is female too. So it’s great that we’re now an all-woman show - apart from me, of course!”
- Writer and Maverick’s Artistic Director, Nick Hennegan
“Eleanor was just the best talent for the show. I’ve always believed in gender-blind casting and although it creates extra elements for direction, we’ve been able to add a new scene with one of the female characters and it gives an extra dimension to the piece I think.”
- Director Katie Merritt
“I've been very aware from day one that I'd be not only taking on a huge lead role but one that is famous for being played by many of the great MALE actors. Being a 20 something woman means I'm not necessarily as strong or physically big as any of the previous Henrys’ that have taken on this solo version of Henry V. It's been a real exploration, but ultimately, the piece will inevitably be different because you have a woman playing the role and that's not a hindrance, it's really bloody exciting!”
- Eleanor Dillon-Reams
Henry V - Lion of England by Nick Hennegan.
Upstairs at The Wheatsheaf Pub, 25 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 1JB.
Weekends till 20th June, 2015.
Upstairs at The Wheatsheaf Pub, 25 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 1JB.
Weekends till 20th June, 2015.