1. GENERAL HEADING: Video and Film Analysis

2. TITLE OF EXERCISE: "Hooray Henry"

3. GOALS: To sharpen skills in "reading" performances visually and aurally

4. NUMBER OF STUDENTS: Any number; small subgroupings of 2-4 helpful.

5. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES: VCR; videotape, Held Henry . German production of Henry V directed by Peter Zadek.

6. CLASS TIME NEEDED: 60 to 90 minutes

7. STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION:

a. Students watch Henry's soliloquy, "Upon the king," with the sound turned down.

b. Students write about what they have seen.

c. Students watch the same scene again, this time with sound on

d. Students note any new observations.

e. Students watch "O God of battles" and "St. Crispin's day" scene

f. In pairs, students discuss what they have seen.

g. Students are told that this is a Brechtian version of Henry V; in quartets, they discuss implications and choose a spokesperson.

h. Addressing the group as a whole, the spokespersons report their subgroup's findings.

i. General discussion.

8. POINTS FOR OBSERVATION, DISCUSSION:

a. Elements added by sound to performance

b. Reception of performance in a foreign language

c. Undercutting of Henry as "hero" of the play

d. Engagement/detachment of the audience; V-effect (alienation) ("verfrumdungs effekt" or "alienation effect")

e. Martial speech: exhortation or manipulation?

f. Isolation of Henry from his men

g. Commodification of human beings in war (camp follower)

9. SOURCE/REFERENCE: Lois Potter

10. ADDITIONAL READING: N.A.

11. VARIATIONS: Try using any provocative performance on videotape of a Shakespeare play, particularly one done in another language.