Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

Come hither, England’s hope. –If secret powers

[Lays his hand on his head]

Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,

This pretty lad will prove our country’s bliss.

-Henry

King Henry the Sixth Part III       Act IV, Scene vi, Line 69

 

So we’ll need just a little history lesson here. I’ll try to keep it brief. Henry VI’s reign is marked by the civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. During theses wars you have Henry, then Edward IV, then Henry again, then Edward IV again, then Edward V (sort of) then Richard III all taking and re-taking the throne. We’re in the middle of this whole mess right here (I think Henry’s about to take the throne back from Edward) and someone introduces the son of Edmund Tudor to Henry. Well this son just happens to be the fellow destined to become Henry VII, the one who defeats Richard III and ends the civil strife. So Henry’s words are truly prescient. They’re also most likely completely made up by Will. I’m pretty sure that there’s no evidence of this particular scene every taking place, let alone Henry making this prophesy. I have to believe that it’s dramatist Will’s way of adding a little drama to the script. But he’s allowed, in fact expected, to do that, isn’t he.

Wouldn't you know it; I have a pic from years (many years) past of us acting out this scene. We thought that doing it in front of the fireplace would give that Tower of London look to it. Dave is playing Henry VI and has just finished the prophetic lines declaring me, as the son of Edmund Tudor, as the future Henry VII. He took his hand off my head right before Mom snapped the pic. Of course, I'm playing the proud recipient of Dave's proclamation, giving that 'don't mess with me 'cause I'm destined to be king' look. Jean was playing either Warwick or Clarence, I can't remember which. And Phil, who looks like he was just photo-bombing the scene, was the Lieutenant of the Tower. Since the Lieutenant only had the one line at the beginning of the scene, Phil was a little distracted at this point. Phil never did have a very long attention span.