While I do not know what it feels like to be a crown prince, there’s a lot about Prince Hal—a.k.a. the future Henry V—that’s deeply relatable. Rather than mingle with the lords in the harshly lit throne room, the future king prefers to party in his century’s equivalent of a sticky dive bar. He tells the audience that his procrastination in taking on royal duties keeps expectations low, so when he does decide to get involved, he’ll be sure to impress. Anyone who’s heard the mantra “Under promise, over deliver” knows exactly where Hal is coming from.

But unlike its protagonist, Folger Theatre’s 1 Henry IV takes on the challenges of the coming-of-age story head-on. Part of William Shakespeare’s series of historical plays charting the rise of Henry V, the show is much more concerned with the future king than the current one. And even more than monarchy, the Rosa Joshi-directed show is all about mythmaking: how we talk about our leaders and about our own triumphs, or lack thereof.

Hal (Avery Whitted) is always hearing about the bravery of his rival Hotspur (Tyler Fauntleroy), a hothead who is in the midst of planning a rebellion against Henry IV. After Hal trades in his drinking mug for a sword to defend his country, Hotspur finds himself similarly besieged with tales of Hal’s angelic grace. But no one tells more exciting stories than his drinking buddy Falstaff (Edward Gero), even though we all know the weasley drunkard is full of it. Indeed, part of the pleasure of listening to his ridiculous tall tales is watching him invent them whole cloth as he goes. As Falstaff, Gero’s magnetism makes it clear why Hal would prefer his company to the scheming nobles. At least Falstaff’s machinations include ample booze.

Scenic design from Sara Ryung Clement underlines the similarities between the throne room and the tap room. The throne itself, which dwarfs Henry IV (Peter Crook), flips on its side to become a drinking table. There’s nothing inherently more glamorous about being a noble, and Falstaff’s epic monologue about honor turns the values of the play on their head right as the war ends. (There is, unquestionably, glamour in Naomi Jacobson’s role as the scheming noble Worcester—the D.C. treasure could merit a Helen Hayes award for one withering stare, and she has many on the stage.)

1 Henry IV climaxes in a battle scene. While there are certainly some sword fights, and the most consequential conflict merits a dirty, fists-flying brawl, movement director Alice Gosti uses choreography that wouldn’t be out of place in the No Strings Attached-days of *NSYNC to demonstrate most of the confrontation.

The music playing between scenes sounds a lot like what you’d hear at an electronic rave before the beat drops. And that, in many ways, is how1 Henry IV functions: the fun, edging pulsation before an inevitable, major rhythm change.

1 Henry IV runs at Folger Theatre through October 13. Tickets are $42-$85. Runtime approximately two hours and 45 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.