Many, many years ago, the Guthrie Theater did Shakespeare's History Cycle - Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V.
It was a big repertory company, with some actors playing starring roles in one play, and lesser roles in the other plays, so we got to see every actor's acting range. (Kind of fun, that.)
On selected days... Sundays, I think... they did the entire History Cycle in one day. Nine hours of theater, interupted by an hour for dinner.
THe last performance was one of those cycle days, and I went to see it, even though I'd seen each individual play. And it was spectacular. The actors got a standing ovation after the first play, and after the second play.
For Henry V, a single chorus usually comes on stage and says the lines. The way the late, great Garland Wright staged it, every actor in the company was on stage as the chorus. When the lights brightened and the audience saw the actors standing on stage, they all stood up, before the play even started, and gave them another standing ovation. And then they got one at the end of the play as well.
But then, that was for nine hours worth of work on one day....
