MARLBOROUGH – Within a 16-by-16-foot square inside the social hall of First Church in Marlborough UCC, the story of England’s great soldier-king Henry V began to unfold.
Move by move, the members of the Ghost Light Players of Marlborough acted out William Shakespeare’s historical drama. They swept across the English Channel toward Harfleur, and they huddled around campfires the night before the battle.
The Ghost Light Players are preparing to present “Henry V” at the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival – the world’s largest celebration of the performing arts – next month.
This will be the Ghost Light Players’ second time at the festival; in 2017, they performed “Hamlet.”
Established in 2011, Ghost Light brings Shakespeare and other productions to MetroWest and central Massachusetts.
The group is based at First Parish in Marlborough UCC on High Street.
According to its website, Ghost Light Players “have eschewed spectacle and focused our efforts and resources on our troupe’s process. We believe that a robust creative process allows our artists the chance to thrive.”
Past productions have ranged from “Urinetown” to “Much Ado about Nothing” and “The Book of Will.”
For this particular production of “Henry V,” do not expect Laurence Olivier or Kenneth Branagh to bound forth in full armor. Instead, the players will have five performers portray different aspects of the monarch.
According to President and Artistic Director Kat Alix-Gaudreau, the new approach is a way to “really examine the character.”
“We do a lot of Shakespeare, and last fall we decided to split it into five roles. Each role [reflects] on the consequences of their actions as solider, king, diplomat,” she said.
“This is a good one for the fringe,” Alix-Gaudreau said. “It seems a good fit for the festival.”
Jennifer Drummond will play the last of the five Henrys.
“I’m the culmination of each of the Henrys,” said Drummond, who started her career with the Ghost Light Players in 2015 with “Romeo and Juliet.”
Just outside the blue-taped rehearsal space, costumer Lori Rabeler measured a performer.
“I love the way the troupe works together,” she said. “They always get along.”
For Rabeler, her greatest concerns will be to order enough knee pads for the cast (there’s a lot of kneeling in this production) and whether the fabric for the costumes will arrive on time.
If you want to see what they will bring to the festival, the Ghost Light Players will be presenting one local performance of “Henry V” at the Marlborough Senior Center, 40 New St., on Saturday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25, and can be purchased through the online box office at https://glplayers.ticketleap.com/henry-v/ or at the venue the night of the performance.
A 501c3 nonprofit, Ghost Light Players welcome volunteers and donations. For details, visit https://ghostlightplayers.com/about-us-2/
