Shakespeare’s All's Well That Ends Well is the second play in the pilot season of NT Live, an exciting initiative by the National Theatre, London to broadcast live performances of plays onto cinema and performing arts center screens worldwide.
Set against a background of sexism, snobbery and a battle between the generations, All's Well That Ends Well turns fairytale logic on its head in a wondrous, bittersweet story. Directed by Marianne Elliott, the cast is led by Oliver Ford Davies as the King of France; Clare Higgins as the Countess of Rossillion; Conleth Hill as Parolles; George Rainsford as Bertra; and Michelle Terry as Helena.
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
Helena, the orphaned daughter of a famous physician, has been brought up by the Countess of Rossillion. She comes to Court and, with one of her late father’s prescriptions, heals the King of France of a fistula. As a reward, he promises that he will use his power to enable her to marry the man of her choice. She chooses Bertram, the Countess’ son, with whom she is passionately in love.
Bertram is furiously indignant at being forced to marry a commoner, and declares he will never be her husband unless she gets the ring he wears, and is pregnant with his child: in other words, until the apparently impossible happens. He then goes off to the wars in Italy – accompanied by Parolles, a swaggering soldier – hoping never to see Helena again.
In Florence, Parolles falls victim to a plot to reveal his cowardice by a group of French soldiers; and Bertram is attracted to a young Florentine, Diana. Back in France, the King reprimands Bertram for his cruel treatment of Helena; but is all’s well that ends well yet?
Performance length: 2 hours 55 minutes with one intermission
Discount Tickets: $20 Senior Citizen and non-NYU student tickets available in person at the box office.
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ntlive
NT Live is funded in partnership with Arts Council England and NESTA, and supported internationally by Travelex. NT Live events are distributed outside the U.K. through New York-based BY Experience, Inc.
Photos by Simon Annand; at left Oliver Ford Davies as The King of France and George Rainsford as Bertram; at right Hasina Haque as Diana, Cassie Atkinson as Violenta and Janet Henfrey as a widow
