3.5 out of 5 stars

"Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts" condenses Shakespeare's first history-play series to five hours, but really gets going during the last two. That's where the Bard hit his stride, establishing indelible characters rather than just relating events. The complex, often murky story of shifting power struggles suddenly moves blazingly fast. Performances rise from static to electric (Teresa Avia Lim as Queen Margaret, Anna Ishida as Warwick and Julyana Soelistyo as the future Richard III stand out). Even the highly stylized set and costumes (all black, white and red), which earlier tended to flatten the action, ultimately enliven it. — Adam Z. Horvath (Photo on home page by HanJie Chow)

A National Asian American Theatre Company production in repertory at The Public Theater through July 19, 2026; publictheater.org. (Review date: July 7, 2026)