Thus, one of the most impressive feats for a group of actors is making Shakespeare not only entertaining, but also comprehensible, and Cornell's Shakespeare Troupe did just that in their Feb. 6 and 7 performances of Henry IV. Witty and wonderful, the play follows the story of three main characters: Prince Hal (Alexandra Amane '29), King Henry IV (Zoey Zhu '27) and Hotspur (Adam Lease '29). As King Henry IV fights off a rebellion by Hotspur and friends, Prince Hal undergoes a dynamic shift from drunken trickster to valiant protector of both his father Henry and his kingdom. That energy, that palpable and genuine love for the craft and the surrounding people on stage, really made Henry IV stand out, from the leads to the ensemble to the crew. As for this viewer, I left the Black Box Theatre impressed and excited to attend Cornell's Shakespeare Troupe's next performance.

Source: Daily Sun February 13, 2026 19:38 UTC