Interview: Elizabeth A. Davis is a Warrior Queen in 'HENRY 6' at The Old Globe

King Henry VI  may have the title in “Henry 6”  but his queen, Margaret of Anjou, was a warrior queen worthy in her own right.  Elizabeth A. Davis brings this smart and fierce woman to the stage, showing her life from a seemingly dead end in France to Queen of England in “Henry 6” parts one and two, now playing at The Old Globe through September 15th. Davis talked about the experience of bringing this iconic but lesser-known historical figure to life in these new adaptions of Shakespeare’s play.

Shakespeare’s original trilogy for Henry VI is not often done, as it is a sprawling history play about a period not many people are familiar with. Elizabeth says this new adaption takes the originals and turns them into something that makes them more accessible to audiences worldwide.

“The shows are beasts, grand in scale, primal in nature, and textually thrilling. The Henry 6 plays cover an enormous amount of history and gorgeously capture its raw humanity. Although they are Shakespeare's take on the events and have a certain English smack, they remain fluid in their ability to transcend culture. They are also extremely bloody and battle-scene-filled. 

Barry Edelstein's adaptation and two-play offering are brilliant. “Henry 6” Parts One and Two not only allow The Old Globe to finish the Shakespearean canon but will also make these plays (a massive lift for any theater) more accessible at home and abroad. Expect to see this adaptation all over the classical text world in the coming years.”

Queen Margaret is pivotal to both plays (and to the bloodshed), which Davis says is part of what makes the character so exciting to play. 

“Queen Margaret is breathtaking. This character's arc is the most demanding and satisfying of my career. I begin as a young captive, plucked out of relative obscurity to then lead the English army in the Wars of the Roses to defend the English crown. I'm last seen screaming, begging to hold the body of my dead son slain in battle. Queen Margaret, although rarely seen in production, is the second largest female role in Shakespeare and the character in ALL of Shakespeare, with most of her life portrayed on stage, as she shows up in Richard III as well. She-Wolf of France, or Margaret of Anjou as she's known historically, is one for the ages.”

Elizabeth was unfamiliar with the original text and the inspiring historical events, so exploring and discovering this character was a creative adventure of its own.

 “The Henry 6 plays were unknown to me, in truth. So I came to the text as if I was discovering Atlantis, like interacting with a new play that was very old. Something I do to prepare to play characters of significance is to create concept photo shoots. With the help of photographer JD Urban and rentals from The Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, we constructed my imaginative Queen Margaret journey. It allowed me to start the process of finding her body, center, quality of movement, etc.” 

Now, Davis gets to share Margaret with audiences each night and has found playing this multi-faceted character to be a lot of fun.

“Queen Margaret is a Carl Jungian dream, fulfilling multiple archetypal roles. Finding Margaret has required me to pull from all of my life experiences. She's fierce and wild. She's calculated, then impulsive. She's an actor and a dutiful warrior, a wife and a mother. Historically, King Henry became mentally incapacitated and unable to rule or fight for England. Margaret had to step in and rule in his place. Incredibly, her mother and grandmother had experience in ruling in the place of incapacitated or unwilling men. Shakespeare paints Margaret as more of a conniver, but in the end, that's even more fun to play!”

On stage, Elizabeth gets to portray Margaret in all of her variations.  Whether captive, or  Queen in a coronation gown and combat boots, or beyond, Margaret is always true to herself and her story.

“It's a nod to where I'm going with Margaret. Yes, we will be in this gorgeous costume that David Israel Reynoso has designed and put together in such a gorgeous fashion, made with an inch of its life from my exact body.

It's such a privilege to wear his costumes.

The combat boots, for me, are a signal to myself that this is a woman who is grounded in a very specific way. It reminds me of the beginning and the end simultaneously, so I'm, I'm feeling all of her even in the midst of the coronation.”

The community's involvement in this production is a vital component of celebrating the show's premiere and helping The Old Globe complete Shakespeare's canon. From live on stage to video and audio recordings and beyond, San Diego’s community is a vital component of this show's existence.

“The process has been luxurious from top to bottom. We have had an enormous amount of rehearsal and tech time, which is a rarity. We have had community members participate at every step, and we will have community members walk-ons in the show! Everyone at the creative table is bringing their A -Game. It is an inspiring environment. I feel hashtag blessed.”

How To Get Tickets

“Henry 6  Part One: Flowers and France” and “Two: Riot and Reckoning” are playing in repertory at The Old Globe through September 15th. For ticket and showtime information, go to www.theoldglobr.org

Photo Credit: Rich Soublet II and The Old Globe

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