The Pick Up Performance Company was in town this week, leading master classes with Kansas University students and performing its creation, “Dancing Henry Five” at the Lied Center. The hour-long performance is based on Shakespeare’s “Henry V” and uses dance, music and narration to convey the story of Henry’s ascension to the throne of Britain and his defeat of the French at the Battle of Agincourt.

Directed, choreographed and designed by David Gordon, “Dancing Henry Five” is a “pre-emptive (post-modern) strike and spin” in which seven dancers manipulate and interact with folding chairs, pieces of cloth, tables, a ladder and stuffed dummies — all of which have been used in other productions.

One of the goals of the Pick Up Performance Company is to make use of miscellaneous items, adapting them to the needs of the story. Thus — in a particularly effective moment — long pieces of cloth are employed to represent Henry’s ships and then tied around waists, becoming the skirts of the French Princess Katherine and her maid.

The tale is narrated by Valda Setterfield, whose narration is supplemented by recordings from performances of the play by Laurence Olivier and Christopher Plummer. The choreography reflects and complements this narration, often in humorous and touching ways. Setterfield, who has a long and impressive dance resume, often stands outside the action, merely commenting, but occasionally enters smoothly into a character and performs with astonishing grace.

As the maid, she and Karen Graham offer a funny and eloquent performance as Princess Katherine (Graham) tries to learn some English in anticipation of the arrival of the English invaders. Accompanied by the corresponding scene from Olivier’s film version of “Henry V,” they manage to capture the humor in Katherine’s confusion about the words for fingers, hands and elbows.

The pick up performance company showcased Dancing

As King Henry, Guillermo Resto conveys the appropriate haughtiness and swagger, while reminding us often of the King’s despair at the loss of life at his hand. “Dancing Henry Five” makes use of the political themes of Shakespeare’s play to comment — sometimes obliquely — on current events, and the emotional climax of the production is the Battle of Agincourt. Realizing that war requires wishing for “the death of somebody else’s son,” Setterfield and the other dancers attempt to convey the personal realities of events whose personal toll can be obscured by history or politics.

“Dancing Henry Five” is an innovative and mostly successful interpretation of Shakespeare’s work. Hearing Plummer and Olivier’s performances is a particular treat, and the choreography relies heavily on the power of the words of the play, which reminds one that great and complex expression can be achieved in the integration of various artistic media.

Sarah Young is a lecturer in Kansas University’s English department. She can be reached at