Part 2 of ‘Henry IV’ Keeps Up Pace

For those who have trouble keeping track of the internecine complications of Shakespeare’s histories, the Pasadena Shakespeare Company’s presentation of “Henry IV, Part Two” may open a window of satisfying clarity.

The production follows hard upon the heels of “Henry IV, Part One,” which rounded out the company’s 2000 season. A worthy successor to its predecessor, this “Henry” is rendered with cogent simplicity by director Gillian Bagwell, who tackles the material straightforwardly, without lowering the bar into gimmickry.

Taut and comprehensible, Bagwell’s staging features an unfailingly facile cast. Franc A. Ross once again appears as King Henry IV, a previously vital man exhausted by continuing rebellion and his own uneasy conscience over having usurped the throne from the anointed king. Marcus Dean Fuller reprises his role as the roistering Prince Hal, who rallied to defeat Hotspur and his rebel forces in Part One, and now faces the prospect of his imminent succession with conflicting emotions. And David Fruechting’s Falstaff, previously a prototypical buffoon, takes on new stature and subtlety, particularly after his monumental ego is painfully punctured by his royal pal Hal--an agonizing rejection that leaves him a broken man.

Dick Bagwell’s incidental music helps drive the action, while costumer Jamie Smith manages to clothe this huge cast handsomely and well.

* “Henry IV, Part Two,” Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena. Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Ends Feb. 11. $18. (626) 564-8564. Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes.