Tom Hanks is making his Los Angeles stage debut as Falstaff this summer in a production constructed from Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2.
Like Orson Welles’ stage production of Five Kings and his film Chimes at Midnight, the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles production places an emphasis on the relationship between Falstaff and Prince Hal.
Hanks, known for his performances in films like Saving Private Ryan and Philadelphia, admitted to having a surface knowledge of The Bard.
“Quite frankly, I didn’t know that much,” Hanks told LAist. “I knew of Falstaff, but outside of a few pretend references of being familiar with Chimes at Midnight and always pretending you know all the Shakespeare histories, the great discovery that I went through on all of this was to discover that immediacy that he has.”
Welles once called Falstaff the “most completely good man in all drama.”
Hanks also sees an element of goodness in the character of Falstaff.
“Other characters (are) out for something,” Hanks said. “Richard III is out to become king. Iago is out to square the great injustice of only being an underling to Othello. Falstaff wants to have a good time. He wants to wake up in the morning and figure out, ‘How am I going to maximize a good time today?’ And he does it throughout the entire play, and he does it in ways that are irrefutably brilliant.”
Still, Hanks has no plans to bring the role to the screen.
“Look, I never would ever see myself as Falstaff in a movie because, well, how much of a suit and makeup can you take?,” Hanks said.
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