Henry V in France

Henry V is a difficult play to translate and stage in France, both because of its theme and of its multilingualism. The play is known for its nationalistic take on a painful event of French history, namely, the defeat of the French army at the battle of Agincourt. It also features multiple bilingual scenes where English and French meet, making it difficult to render in a monolingual French setting: In translation, originally bilingual dialogues run the risk of becoming obscure for a French audience faced with characters unable to communicate despite their common tongue. This double issue has led to a complex reception history on the other side of the Channel, where stage performances are rare and translations are sparse. This entry offers an overview of this phenomenon, addressing the double question of how the multilingualism of the play has been rendered in written translations, and how it has been adapted on French stages, including how foreign, non-French productions touring to France have participated in the dialogue of reception.