Most Prior Lake students are familiar with the classroom reading of Shakespeare, but this past Wednesday, Mrs. Strege’s AP Lit students had the opportunity to see the story brought to life.
A group of 51 students went to the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis to see Henry the Fifth, one of Shakespeare’s most famous historical plays surrounding the rise of King Henry V and his exploits in the Hundred Years War between England and France.
The play is a part of a Shakespeare series by the Guthrie which includes a trilogy of Richard II, Henry IV, and, of course, Henry V.
The class departed at 10:30 that morning, with their first stop being the Midtown Global Market for lunch. Arriving at 11, the market was just opening its doors for the day, giving students the benefit of short lines and quick service before departing at noon for the Guthrie.
Before entering the theater itself, students made their way to the Guthrie’s overlook to take pictures of the Stone Arch Bridge overlooking the Mississippi River.
Then, it was time for the play.
Students have been very positive about the experience, with senior Sean Wirtz commenting, “the play was a lot funnier than I was expecting.”
Indeed, there were plenty of laughs during the performance, especially during the oddly modern line of “Do you like me Kate?” sending the audience into a chuckle.
Henry V is not typically taught at Prior Lake, so initially, this left students with some worries about whether not knowing the play made it easier or harder to watch.
“I believe it made it better,” said Kal Lewandowski. “I took more time paying attention to each scene and the character development.”
Conversely, Sean Wirtz thought it made the play more difficult to follow. “I was confused for the first half.”
Mrs. Strege helpfully provided a detailed summary of the play along with the one provided in the Guthrie playbill, so students were able to familiarize themselves with the plot.
As one of the final field trips for seniors, Henry V impressed the graduating class, with it being a great experience overall. It is easily one of the best ways to wrap up another memorable year in AP Lit.
