The Hollow Crown is a series of British television film adaptations of William Shakespeare's history plays.
The first series is an adaptation of Shakespeare's second historical tetralogy, the Henriad: Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2 and Henry V,[1] starring Ben Whishaw, Jeremy Irons and Tom Hiddleston. Olivier Award winners Rupert Goold, Richard Eyre and Thea Sharrock directed the telefilms,[2] which were produced by Rupert Ryle-Hodges for BBC Two and executive produced by Sam Mendes and Pippa Harris under Neal Street Productions in association with NBCUniversal. The first series, which aired in the United Kingdom in 2012, received positive reviews from critics. Ben Whishaw and Simon Russell Beale won British Academy Television Awards for Leading actor and Supporting actor for their performances as Richard II and Falstaff, and Jeremy Irons was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor for his role as Henry IV. The first episode, Richard II, was nominated for the Best Single Drama at the BAFTA TV Awards.[3]
The BBC aired the concluding series in 2016 as The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses, a reference to the series of English civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses,[4] starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugh Bonneville, Judi Dench, Sophie Okonedo and Tom Sturridge. The plays were produced in 2015 by the same team that made the first series of films but were directed by the former artistic director of Royal Court Theatre and Olivier Award winner, Dominic Cooke.[5] They are based on Shakespeare's first tetralogy: Henry VI, Part 1, Henry VI, Part 2, Henry VI, Part 3 and Richard III.[6] The adaptation presents Henry VI in two parts, incorporating all three Henry VI plays. Benedict Cumberbatch was nominated for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Leading Actor and The Wars of the Roses was nominated for Best Mini-Series.[7]
The title of the series is taken from a line in Richard II:
For within the hollow crown
That rounds the mortal temples of a king
Keeps Death his court...— Richard II, act 3, scene 2
Contents
- 1 Cast
- 2 Episodes
- 2.1 Series 1 (2012)
- 2.2 Series 2 (2016)
- 3 Production
- 3.1 Faithfulness of adaptation
- 4 Broadcast
- 5 Home media
- 6 Reception and accolades
- 6.1 Series 1
- 6.2 Series 2
- 7 References
- 8 External links
Cast[]
List indicators:
- A dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film.
- Italics indicates a non-speaking cameo
Role | The Hollow Crown (2012) | The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richard II | Henry IV, Part 1 | Henry IV, Part 2 | Henry V | Henry VI, Part 1 | Henry VI, Part 2 | Richard III | |
King Richard II | Ben Whishaw | ||||||
King Henry IV Henry Bolingbroke | Rory Kinnear | Jeremy Irons | |||||
Queen Isabella | Clémence Poésy | ||||||
John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster | Patrick Stewart | ||||||
Duke of York | David Suchet | ||||||
Duchess of York | Lindsay Duncan | ||||||
Duke of Aumerle later Duke of York | Tom Hughes | Paterson Joseph | |||||
Earl of Northumberland | David Morrissey | Alun Armstrong | |||||
Lady Northumberland | Niamh Cusack | ||||||
Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk | James Purefoy | ||||||
King Henry V Prince Hal | Tom Hiddleston | ||||||
Sir John Falstaff | Simon Russell Beale | ||||||
Mistress Nell Quickly | Julie Walters | ||||||
Mistress Doll Tearsheet | Maxine Peake | ||||||
Bardolph | Tom Georgeson | ||||||
Ned Poins | David Dawson | ||||||
Sir Henry Percy Harry Hotspur | Joe Armstrong | ||||||
Earl of Worcester | David Hayman | ||||||
Lady Kate Percy | Michelle Dockery | ||||||
Sir Edmund Mortimer | Harry Lloyd | Michael Gambon | |||||
Prince John of Lancaster | Henry Faber | ||||||
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester | Will Attenborough | Hugh Bonneville | |||||
Earl of Westmorland | James Laurenson | ||||||
Ancient Pistol | Paul Ritter | ||||||
Owen Glendower | Robert Pugh | ||||||
Lady Mortimer | Alex Clatworthy | ||||||
Justice Robert Shallow | David Bamber | ||||||
Lord Chief Justice | Geoffrey Palmer | ||||||
Duke of Exeter | Anton Lesser | ||||||
Captain Fluellen | Owen Teale | ||||||
Montjoy | Jérémie Covillault | ||||||
King Charles VI of France | Lambert Wilson | ||||||
Louis, the Dauphin | Edward Akrout | ||||||
Princess Katherine | Mélanie Thierry | ||||||
Alice | Geraldine Chaplin | ||||||
Chorus | John Hurt | ||||||
King Henry VI | Tom Sturridge | ||||||
Queen Margaret | Sophie Okonedo | ||||||
Eleanor Cobham Duchess of Gloucester | Sally Hawkins | ||||||
Richard Plantagenet Duke of York | Adrian Dunbar | ||||||
Cecily Duchess of York | Lucy Robinson | Judi Dench | |||||
Bishop of Winchester | Samuel West | ||||||
Earl of Warwick | Stanley Townsend | ||||||
Earl of Somerset | Ben Miles | ||||||
Duke of Suffolk | Jason Watkins | ||||||
Lord Talbot | Philip Glenister | ||||||
Joan of Arc | Laura Frances-Morgan | ||||||
King Richard III Richard Plantagenet | Benedict Cumberbatch | ||||||
Queen Elizabeth | Keeley Hawes | ||||||
Edmund Plantagenet | Angus Imrie | ||||||
King Edward IV Edward Plantagenet | Geoffrey Streatfeild | ||||||
George Plantagenet Duke of Clarence | Sam Troughton | ||||||
Lord Clifford | Kyle Soller | ||||||
Earl of Westmorland | Richard Lynch | ||||||
Duke of Buckingham | Ben Daniels | ||||||
Queen Anne | Phoebe Fox | ||||||
Lord Hastings | James Fleet | ||||||
King Louis XI of France | Andrew Scott | ||||||
King Henry VII Earl of Richmond | Andrew Davies | Luke Treadaway | |||||
Catesby | Paul Bazely |
Episodes[]

Series 1 (2012)[]
No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Richard II" | Rupert Goold | Rupert Goold & Ben Power | 30June2012 |
2 | 2 | "Henry IV, Part 1" | Richard Eyre | Richard Eyre | 7July2012 |
3 | 3 | "Henry IV, Part 2" | Richard Eyre | Richard Eyre | 14July2012 |
4 | 4 | "Henry V" | Thea Sharrock | Ben Power & Thea Sharrock | 21July2012 |
Series 2 (2016)[]
No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | 1 | "Henry VI, Part 1" | Dominic Cooke | Dominic Cooke & Ben Power | 7May2016 |
6 | 2 | "Henry VI, Part 2" | Dominic Cooke | Dominic Cooke & Ben Power | 14May2016 |
7 | 3 | "Richard III" | Dominic Cooke | Dominic Cooke & Ben Power | 21May2016 |
Production[]
The BBC scheduled the screening of Shakespeare's history plays as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad, a celebration of British culture coinciding with the 2012 Summer Olympics.[8] Sam Mendes signed up as executive producer to adapt all four plays in September 2010.[9] He was joined as executive producer by Pippa Harris (both representing Neal Street Productions), Rupert Ryle-Hodges as producer, Gareth Neame (NBCUniversal), and Ben Stephenson (BBC).[10]
Parts of the series were filmed in Kent at Squerryes Court and Penshurst Place.[11]
The concluding series of plays were produced in 2015 by the same team that made the first series and were directed by Dominic Cooke. Richard III was played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Executive producer Pippa Harris stated, "The critical and audience reaction to The Hollow Crown series set the bar high for Shakespeare on screen, and Neal Street (Productions) is delighted to be making the concluding part of this great history cycle. By filming the 'Henry VI' plays as well as 'Richard III,' we will allow viewers to fully appreciate how such a monstrous tyrant could find his way to power, bringing even more weight and depth to this iconic character."[12] The production returned to Kent for The Wars of the Roses, filming at Dover Castle, Leeds Castle and Penshurst Place.[13]
Faithfulness of adaptation[]
The first series is largely faithful to the plays, although the text is abridged and lines are occasionally cut. The second series notably compresses the three-part Henry VI into two episodes. Significant scenes involving Talbot and Joan of Arc are cut and Jack Cade's Rebellion is not included. Many elements from the Suffolk part are incorporated into the character of Somerset. While the text does not directly specify which Duke of Exeter is depicted in Henry VI, Part 3, it is widely assumed to be Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter given the play's setting between 1445 and 1471. The portrayal by Anton Lesser implies that it is the same person as Lesser's Thomas Beaufort from Henry V and Henry VI, Part 1, who had died in 1426.[citation needed]
Broadcast[]
The first four plays aired on consecutive Saturday evenings on BBC Two between 30 June and 21 July 2012. The start time of Henry IV, Part 1 on 7 July was delayed by an hour because of coverage of the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, and the play was shown a second time the following evening on BBC Four.[14] The plays were shown in the United States from 20 September to 11 October 2013 as part of the PBS Great Performances series.[15]
All four plays were shown again on consecutive evenings on BBC Four in April 2016 as part of the BBC Shakespeare Festival commemorating the 400th anniversary of the playwright's death. The second series of plays aired on consecutive Saturday evenings on BBC Two commencing Saturday 7 May 2016.[16][17]
Home media[]
The overseas and DVD rights for The Hollow Crown series are owned by NBC Universal.[18] A Region 2 DVD set of the four films was released on 1 October 2012.[19] A Region 1 DVD set was released on 17 September 2013.[20] A 2-disc DVD set of The Wars of the Roses was released on 20 June 2016.
The original music soundtrack from The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses composed by Dan Jones was released on the Wave Theory Records label in June 2016 and performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.[21][22]
Reception and accolades[]
Mike Hughes of The Salinas Californian wrote, "Amazing TV – perfectly filmed."[23]
Series 1[]
Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
---|---|---|---|
Music & Sound Awards 2013 | Nominated | Sound Design (TV Programme) | The Hollow Crown |
South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2013 | Nominated | Best TV Drama | |
Won | Times Breakthrough | Tom Hiddleston | |
Broadcasting Press Guild 2013 | Won | Best Single Drama | The Hollow Crown |
Nominated | Best Actor | Ben Whishaw | |
BAFTA Television Awards 2013 | Won | Best Leading Actor (Richard II) | |
Won | Best Supporting Actor | Simon Russell Beale (Henry IV Part 2) | |
Nominated | Best Single Drama | Richard II | |
RTS Programme Awards 2013 | Won | Single Drama | |
BAFTA Craft Awards 2013 | Won | Best Original Television Music | Stephen Warbeck (Henry IV) |
Won | Best Sound (Fiction) | Tim Fraser, Adrian Rhodes, Keith Marriner (Richard II) | |
Nominated | Best Costume Design | Odile Dicks-Mireaux (Richard II) | |
British Society of Cinematographers | Nominated | Best Cinematography in a Television Drama | Ben Smithard |
4th Critics' Choice Television Awards | Nominated | Best Miniseries | The Hollow Crown |
Series 2[]
Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
---|---|---|---|
BAFTA Television Awards 2017 | Nominated | Best Leading Actor | Benedict Cumberbatch |
Nominated | Best Mini-Series | The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses | |
BAFTA Television Craft Awards 2017 | Nominated | Best Costume Design | Nigel Egerton (Richard III) |
References[]
- ↑ The Hollow Crown: Series Info. Thetvdb.com.
- ↑ Lawson, Mark (2012-06-29). The Hollow Crown: as good as TV Shakespeare can get?. The Guardian.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2088: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ BBC Two announces further casting for The Hollow Crown: The Wars Of The Roses. BBC Media Centre (21 August 2014).
- ↑ BBC Two (6 April 2014). Richard III.... Twitter.
- ↑ Tony Hall announces greatest commitment to arts for a generation. BBC Media Centre (25 March 2014).
- ↑ Bafta TV awards 2017: full list of winners (14 May 2017).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2088: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2088: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ BBC Drama Publicity (2011-11-24). "Cast confirmed for BBC Two's cycle of Shakespeare films". Press release. https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/shakespeare-cast.html. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
- ↑ Kent Film Office (13 July 2012). Kent Film Office The Hollow Crown – Henry V Article.
- ↑ Barraclough, Leo (6 April 2014). Benedict Cumberbatch to Play Richard III in Neal Street's Film for BBC. Variety.
- ↑ Kent Film Office (27 April 2016). Kent Film Office The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses Article.
- ↑ Henry IV – Part 1.
- ↑ The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare's History Plays – About the Series. PBS (9 July 2013).
- ↑ Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Henry VI. UPI.
- ↑ The best star studded Shakespeare TV adaptations. UK Radio Times.
- ↑ Brown, Maggie (2 July 2012). Sam Mendes: BBC Worldwide rejected 'Hollow Crown' Shakespeare films. The Guardian.
- ↑ The Hollow Crown (4 Discs).
- ↑ The Hollow Crown: The Complete Series.
- ↑ The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (Film music soundtrack by Dan Jones) (24 November 2014).
- ↑ The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (Dan Jones & BBC National Orchestra of Wales).
- ↑ Hughes, Mike (2016-12-10). WEEKEND TV: Disney hits 'Mary Poppins' and 'Frozen' (en-US).
External links[]
- Template:BBC programme
- The Hollow Crown (TV series) at the Internet Movie Database
- The Hollow Crown – Extras
- The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses - About the Series
- The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare's History Plays - About the Series
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