Indigenous scholars update language of "Henry IV, Part 1" in new production at Lewis & Clark

Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part 1” follows the titular king as he prepares for war while his ne’er-do-well son Hal shirks — then ultimately accepts — his duties. The play deals with themes of violence, masculinity, power and leadership, all of which speak to Indigenous playwright Yvette Nolan. She recently updated the play’s language as part of Play On Shakespeare, an initiative that aims to make the Bard’s plays more engaging and accessible to modern audiences. 

A production of Nolan’s translation opened last weekend at Lewis & Clark College and will run through Nov. 11. It’s part of a larger series of talks and performances taking place across Portland to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio. The play is directed by Waylon Lenk, a Shakespeare scholar and the college’s inaugural Native Artist-Scholar in Residence. He and Nolan join us to share more about “Henry IV, Part 1” and what Shakespeare means to them. 

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