Review: After Agincourt (Lion & Unicorn Theatre)

Have you ever been in a public space and found yourself in close proximity to a person who has had a few too many drinks and starts spouting their thoughts with an air of “could kick off at any second”? The anxiety that takes over in this situation was ever-present whilst watching After Agincourt at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre.

This intimate theatre, above the Lion and Unicorn pub in Kentish Town, was the perfect setting for this production by The Crooked Billets Theatre Co. This play focusses on Pistol, a character from Shakespeare’s Henry V, and a simple, effective set took us to the Boar’s Head Tavern back in 1422, seven years after the battle of Agincourt took place.

I should mention that Henry V is not a Shakespeare play I have read or seen, but this did not have any impact on my enjoyment of this show.

Written by Peter Mottley, After Agincourt is intense. There are advisory notes of strong language, descriptions of violence and more, all of which were very relevant but these elements are needed in this one man play.  As I have mentioned, the space was perfect for this production. The sound and lighting were very effective, the lighting so subtly changing when Pistol was seated or moving round.

Gareth David-Lloyd’s performance was absolutely exceptional in this production. Being spoken to directly at certain points was quite intense as the air of ‘drunk angry person with severe mental health issues’ was thrust upon us. My heart was racing at times with the stress of it. The 75 minute run time was definitely enough! It felt like such a privilege to witness this performance, and I’m certain that every audience member felt the same way.

The description of gruesome war crimes, the narrative of how this character’s life has been since the battle, the emotional devastation of perceptions of Henry V changing, all of these things make this show something to think about long after it finishes.  To sum it up, despite being set in the 1420s, this play was really a case study on the impact of conflict on a human being, giving valuable insight on the PTSD that ensues, and as such is timeless.

This run at the Lion and Unicorn has now finished but the production is being taken elsewhere. Please do not hesitate to book tickets! It was the image at the top of this page that made me buy our tickets, the emotions in that still shot resonating on first sight, but the performance that unfolded in front of us is something I will be thinking about for a long time to come.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐