Henry IV, Part 1

Henry IV, Part 1 is a history play by William Shakespeare (1564–1616)[1].

Sometimes written as Henry IV, Part I or Henry IV (Part 1)

Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2 are sometimes jointly referred to simply as Henry IV, and at other times the individual plays may be referred to by that title. This most frequently occurs in the case of this one, the more popular of the plays.

The original text

Believed to have been written circa 1597 and probably performed that year. The play was entered into the Register of the Stationers Company on 25 February 1598, and first printed in quarto later that year by Andrew Wise.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Afrikaans as Hendrik IV by *

Translated into Setswana as Kgosi Henry wa Bone by M.O.M. Seboni (Michael Ontefetse Martinus Seboni, 1912-) and published in Johannesburg by Afrikaanse Pers Boekhandel, 1952.

Translated into Northern Sotho as Kgosi Henri IV (1973) by N.C. Phatudi

Performance history in South Africa

1801: First performed in South Africa by the Garrison Players as the opening piece of the new theatre, The African Theatre, in Cape Town. It also contained an address to Apollo, written by Mrs Somers, which was spoken by Dr Somers, who also played "Fallstaff", while Mr Cockburn is anmed of one of the people who had painted the scenery. Apparently it was popular and ran for a week, even though Lady Anne Barnard, called it a "dull play" in her correspondence. This is most probably the first presentation of a full play by Shakespeare in South Africa.

1853: Selections from what is referred to as Henry IV were performed in The Lyceum by the Port Elizabeth Dramatic Society on 22 October, followed by The Spare Bed (Fox Cooper), An Unwarrantable Intrusion ( Morton).

1968: : Presented by the University of Cape Town’s Speech and Drama Department at the Little Theatre in September, directed by Roy Sergeant.

1976: Presented by Louis Burke and Joan Brickhill at His Majesty's Theatre, directed by visiting Londoner John Sichel, starring Michael McGovern.