Often invoked as one of Shakespeare’s worst plays. It’s about French claiming the English throne in the name of Arthur, song of John’s now-dead brother Geoffrey. They’d probably win too if it wasn’t for the illegitimate son of John’s other dead brother, Richard, who is the hero of this play more than John. Indeed it’s a mystery why Shakespeare couldn’t have done more with John, surely one of the most memorably slimy British monarchs.
It rambles a bit and lacks focus but isn’t dreadful. There is plenty of action and plot but it’s not terribly deep and they can never get a fx on John. Some good moments – a catfight between Elinor(John’s mum) and Constance (Geoffrey’s wife), a scene where Hubert tries to kill little Arthur and can’t, where John tries to deny he asked Hubert to kill Arthur, where the nobles realise they're going to be betrayed. Arthur’s death scene is hilariously convenient; John’s death seems to come out of nowhere. And it does compare badly to the Henry IV series.
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