New "Henry V" embraces rock 'n' roll music

The setting: Director Edward Hall places the action in punk rock England where British troops mosh to The Clash, wailing, "London calling to the faraway towns, now war is declared, and battle come down."

The take: Hall balances the play's jingoism with a focus on the costs of war to average people, and directs Jones through stirring renditions of Henry's most famous soliloquies, including a nuanced St. Crispin's Day banger.

What they're saying: "There has never been a more prescient moment to explore our reflex for conflict through the prism of a story that contains some of the greatest writing in the English language," Hall said in a statement.

If you go: Tickets for "Henry V" at Chicago Shakespeare Theater cost $30-97. The show runs through Oct. 6.