In 2005, actor Elliot Levey was cast in Nicholas Hytner’s production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Parts One and Two at the National Theatre, starring Michael Gambon as Falstaff. Levey, then in his late 20s, described the production as front-page news, with immense expectations on Gambon. Initially, the show did not quite work, but it soon transformed into a legendary run, largely due to Gambon’s offstage antics.
Gambon, Levey recalled, played as if the most interesting person on stage was the one he was talking to, constantly seeking to prompt a reaction from his fellow actors. This approach, Levey noted, was intensely alive and made performing with him more fun than he had ever imagined. The offstage anarchy—including water fights that left the cast permanently wet—became a defining feature of the production. Levey said that Gambon was Falstaff both on and off stage, and the cast became known as the ‘Rogues’ Company’.
A key turning point came when Gambon had new titanium teeth fitted during a hiatus, after being flown to America for his role as Dumbledore. Upon his return, lines that had previously been indistinct became clear, shaving 20 minutes off the performance. Levey noted that for the final three weeks, the production reached an astonishing level of quality.
Levey also highlighted the influence of actor John Wood, who played Justice Shallow. Wood, a renowned Shakespearean, initially intimidated Gambon, prompting him to raise his game. The alchemy between the two actors, particularly in the recruiting scene in Gloucestershire, was magnificent.
