Shakespeare history plays and other related historical books

[Star555]

I have been a huge Shakespeare fan since my school days but have not read/seen many of his history plays. I only read and watched Richard III and Henry V as an adult and absolutely loved them. I plan to read and watch more of them this summer, and give myself a well-rounded "education" by also reading about the historical background, other relevant works (fiction/non-fiction) about that time period, etc. My plan is to complete the first tetralogy in order -- starting with Richard II, then Henry IV parts 1 and 2 (already read Henry V). Is this a good approach?

After reading the plays, I plan to watch two adaptations: BBC's The Hollow Crown and RSC's productions directed by Gregory Doran.

I spent most of my childhood school years as an expat in the US, so unfortunately I did not learn British history in depth at school, and didn't have immersive childhood experiences like visiting the Tower of London, etc so my "intuitive" knowledge of British history is shallow. Are there any good fiction/non-fiction books that would go along well with Shakespeare's history plays, to help "fill in the gaps" and provide context? It's ok if they are targeted towards a younger audience. As I said, I didn't get the full dose of British history in my American school (I didn't know that 1066 was an important year until my late teens!) so I don't mind reading children's books now to make up for it! Thank you for any suggestions/advice.

If you live anywhere near Stratford on Avon, the RSC is doing the 3 parts of Henry VI edited into 2 parts (i.e. you'll be able to see it over 2 nights, or matinee and evening on the same day), from September 24 to January 1.

I don't want to switch the focus of this thread to non-history plays, but just wanted to pop back on and say @ShinyMe and @TaraR2020 that I finished watching the National Theatre production of Twelfth Night with Tamsin Greig online just now -- it was a very interesting performance indeed! I loved the revolving stage and the flexibility it gave for different scene settings, and the ambiguous sexuality undercurrent was interesting. I'm more of a 'classic' person though so some things like the nightclub scene and Malvolia singing a modern inserted song weren't to my taste, but overall it was an excellent show.

Where is this available @Star555? I missed it when it was on free during the first lockdown. I've got the paid subscription to NT@Home but I don't think it's on there at the moment.

@geraldmeers It's available in the National Theatre collection on Drama Online: www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/national-theatre-collection

Drama Online is not accessible via individual subscription, but you can get it through a school/university or other institutional library subscription. In case you don't have access via one of those, you can schedule an in-person free viewing at the National Theatre archive in London: catalogue.nationaltheatre.org.uk/CalmView/ContactUs.aspx

Thanks @Star555 I think ds has access to this as he's doing drama GCSE. I will persuade him to watch it with me.

Another Shakespeare fan here, Richard II is my favourite Shakespeare play, you have something to look forward to!
I read through all of Shakespeare's history plays last year, it's a fun thing to do.

I found this book really helpful with the historical background:
'Shakespeare's English Kings' by Peter Saccio, this is the one book you really need.
I also read parts of 'Shakespeare's Kings' by John Julian Norwich, but I found Saccio's book more helpful.

I was just going to recommend Peter Saccio's book too. I found it very helpful. He's also done some very good lectures on Shakespeare, with Great Courses (available via Audible too I think). And Richard II is also my favourite of his history plays!

Thank you so much @achillesshield and @mstrotwood! I just previewed 'Shakespeare's English Kings' and 'Shakespeare's Kings' on Amazon and they seem to be just what I need as a bridge between the plays and the actual history -- the chapters are even organised according to their corresponding Shakespeare plays!

Bill Bryson wrote a really good book on Shakespeare. It discusses his first folios etc which pleased me as I usually exclaim “what about the first folios”when someone or other tries to persuade us that Shakespeare didn’t write the plays. It is full of other facts about Shakespeare. However, I don’t agree you will find out much about him in Hamnet which is definitely a work of fiction hanging on the small knowledge we have of his son Hamnet. As for the portrayal of Anne Hathaway, well forget it. However, lots of fans of this book but don’t look into it for truth.

I have no idea whether either are available online in any form, but two of the best theatrical experiences I have ever had were the RSC Histories cycle when they transferred it to. the Camden Roundhouse and the Globe’s Henry IV with Jamie Parker and Roger Allam — the latter was so good that even though it was pouring rain and I was standing in the yard, I was mesmerised.

Another person recommending Antonia Forest’s YA The Player’s Boy/The Player and the Rebels, originally written as a single book, but cut up as too long by her publishers. She’s an extraordinary, under-recognised novelist, and these are sophisticated and subtle. A boy runs away from trouble at school with the charming, dangerous playwright Christopher Marlow, who is staying with his family, and ends up after his murder apprenticed as a boy actor in Sh’s company, eventually playing Juliet and Viola before the Queen, and involved in the Essex rebellion.