The Hollow Crown 

A mini-series of adaptations of Shakespeare's history plays: Richard II, Henry IV: Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V.

Stars:

Anton Lesser, Simon Russell Beale, Tom Georgeson

7 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Anton Lesser	...	Exeter 4 episodes, 2012-2016
Simon Russell Beale	...	Falstaff 3 episodes, 2012
Tom Georgeson	...	Bardolph 3 episodes, 2012
John Mackay	...	Brakenbury 3 episodes, 2016
Tom Hiddleston	...	Prince Hal / ... 3 episodes, 2012
Sophie Okonedo	...	Margaret 3 episodes, 2016
James Laurenson	...	Westmoreland 3 episodes, 2012
Tom Sturridge	...	Henry VI 3 episodes, 2016
Julie Walters	...	Mistress Quickly 3 episodes, 2012
Alun Armstrong	...	Northumberland 2 episodes, 2012
Will Attenborough	...	Gloucester 2 episodes, 2012
Conrad Asquith	...	Bracy 2 episodes, 2012
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Richard / ... 2 episodes, 2016
Ben Daniels	...	Buckingham 2 episodes, 2016
Alan David	...	Bishop of Ely 2 episodes, 2016
Adrian Dunbar	...	Plantagenet 2 episodes, 2016
Ian Conningham	...	Peto 2 episodes, 2012
James Fleet	...	Hastings 2 episodes, 2016
Phoebe Fox	...	Anne 2 episodes, 2016
David Dawson	...	Poins 2 episodes, 2012
Drew Dillon	...	Drawer 2 episodes, 2012
Michelle Dockery	...	Kate Percy 2 episodes, 2012
Barney Harris	...	Ned 2 episodes, 2016
Henry Faber	...	Lancaster 2 episodes, 2012
Keeley Hawes	...	Queen Elizabeth 2 episodes, 2016
Stuart McQuarrie	...	Vernon 2 episodes, 2016
John Heffernan	...	Francis 2 episodes, 2012
Ben Miles	...	Somerset 2 episodes, 2016
Matthew Needham	...	Basset 2 episodes, 2016
Jeremy Irons	...	Henry IV 2 episodes, 2012
Lucy Robinson	...	Young Cecily 2 episodes, 2016
Paul Ritter	...	Pistol 2 episodes, 2012
Stanley Townsend	...	Warwick 2 episodes, 2016
Maxine Peake	...	Doll Tearsheet 2 episodes, 2012
Jo Stone-Fewings	...	Stanley 2 episodes, 2016
Geoffrey Streatfeild	...	Edward IV 2 episodes, 2016
Dominic Rowan	...	Coleville 2 episodes, 2012
Jason Watkins	...	Suffolk 2 episodes, 2016
Matthew Tennyson	...	Clarence 2 episodes, 2012
Sam Troughton	...	George 2 episodes, 2016
Samuel Valentine	...	Grey 2 episodes, 2016
Al Weaver	...	Rivers 2 episodes, 2016
Jamie Ballard	...	Grieving Son / ... 2 episodes, 2016

Storyline

New adaptations of Shakespeare's tetralogy of history plays comprising the "Henriad" for the BBC's 2012 Cultural Olympiad: King Richard II; King Henry IV: Part 1; King Henry IV: Part 2; King Henry V. The plays chronicle a continuous period in British history from the end of the fourteenth century to the aftermath of the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Together, the plays comprise a story with recurring themes of power struggles, redemption, family conflict, and betrayal.

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Plot Keywords:

15th century | english history | battle for throne | royalty | king | 

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Adrian Dunbar (Plantagenet) and Keeley Hawes (Queen Elizabeth) appeared on Line of Duty (2012) and Ashes to Ashes (2008).

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Connections

Featured in 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2014)

User Reviews

A Conquest for a prince to boast of

"The Hollow Crown" is BBC's magnificent filming of the Shakespeare's second Henriad (Richard II with Henry IV's rise to power, Henry IV, parts I and II, and Henry V). I believe the first three of these have only been filmed in the old 1970s BBC series of Shakespeare's complete works, and although the old series was at its best with its version of Henry IV, "The Hollow Crown" is far above it. Simon Russell Beale is the ideal choice for Falstaff, even with Orson Welles hard on his heels in the Falstaff compilation "Chimes at Midnight", Tom Hiddleston is a great Prince Hal, and Jeremy Irons, never known to err, shines as the guilt-ridden King Henry IV.

There are some interesting comments on the bonus material for Henry IV, part II that explains why the plays come across so successfully in 2012. Thea Sharrock, director of Henry V, muses that people may be shocked at hearing the actors speak in real surroundings (on location), but of course, that's old hat. Even Olivier anticipated that in 1944 with his Henry V. Moviegoers are not that easily shocked anymore. And although Hiddelston is also mistaken in his claim that it has never been done before, he is right in stating that "Shakespeare is at its best when you speak it like you're making it up." Julie Walters adds, "You've got to speak the lines, not in a stilted isn't-the-verse-beautiful kind of way; it's got to be the way you talk"

This natural way of speaking the lines, more foreign to British Shakespeare productions than to American ones, accounts for the greatness of "The Hollow Crown".

Details

Official Sites:

BBC [UK]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hollow Crown

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Neal Street Productions, NBC Universal Television, Thirteen / WNET

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD