War Is King

“Every now and then the plays are performed as a sequence—or at least four of them are: Richard II, Henry IV, Parts One and Two, and Henry V.”

“More rarely, an earlier set of four plays has been mounted: Henry VI, Parts One, Two, Three, and Richard III. These, though written earlier, treat later events than the popular four.”

“Every actor in these plays—whether bishop or baggage handler, princess or prisoner—wears body armor at all times, a chain mail under diaphanous outer garments. Gaines is portraying a war culture that affects everyone and everything.”