A once-in-a-generation event comes to San Diego in 2024: The Old Globe becomes one of only a small handful of theatres in the country’s history to complete Shakespeare’s canon with the two-part Henry 6, the largest Shakespeare production the Globe has ever presented.

In One: Flowers and France, King Henry VI inherits the crown of England as a child. Absent the strong leadership of his father, who conquered France in a surprise victory, the English court is reduced to petty squabbles. The French take up arms to regain their lost territory and rally behind Joan of Arc, who claims she was sent from God to fight the English. And when King Henry marries Queen Margaret, she inflames the political disputes that roil the throne. Can the English stop arguing among themselves and unite to hold on to France? Or will their in-fighting cost them the hard-won French territory and lead to chaos at home?

Acclaimed Shakespeare director and the Globe’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein turns the rarely produced Henry VI, Parts I, II, and III into a thrilling two-part event, running simultaneously through the summer in our beautiful outdoor theatre. These adaptations include everything people love about the Bard—ingenious language, vibrant characters, breathtaking battles, and sweeping crowd scenes—as they explore the impact of national politics on individual lives. And the action is framed by a design team working at the very top of their craft, and a sprawling cast of professional actors and local community members.

The Old Globe is celebrating this historic milestone with a yearlong program of citywide arts engagement and humanities events that bring audiences closer to the art than ever before, including opportunities for San Diegans to participate in the making of the production itself. It is an event that simply cannot be missed!

This production includes violence and the use of theatrical haze.

Total running time: Two hours and 50 minutes (two acts with one intermission).