THE RSC'S The Merry Wives of Windsor REVIEW
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| Samantha Spiro (Mistress Meg Page) and Siubhan Harrison (Mistress Alice Ford) The Merry Wives of Windsor The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Summer 2024 Photograph : Manuel Harlan |
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We must agree with the director when she says that: “The Merry Wives of Windsor is one of Shakespeare's most underrated plays [...] Blanche McIntyre (2024)
...and that this comedy can be described as the forerunner for what farce can bring to the party when it theatrically intervenes.
The Merry Wives of Windsor is a story involving deftly scheming and secretiveness and includes characters from the Tavern, and places, who featured in Shakespeare's history plays. Therefore some names, personalities and character traits were a given already, cutting down the famous playwright's need for further character invention when he penned this play. However, surburbia is the setting for these richly complete characters in this instance and we see how they feature in the lives of the wealthy George and Meg Page and Frank and Alice Ford and their families.
We must agree with the director when she says that: “The Merry Wives of Windsor is one of Shakespeare's most underrated plays [...] Blanche McIntyre (2024)
...and that this comedy can be described as the forerunner for what farce can bring to the party when it theatrically intervenes.
The Merry Wives of Windsor is a story involving deftly scheming and secretiveness and includes characters from the Tavern, and places, who featured in Shakespeare's history plays. Therefore some names, personalities and character traits were a given already, cutting down the famous playwright's need for further character invention when he penned this play. However, surburbia is the setting for these richly complete characters in this instance and we see how they feature in the lives of the wealthy George and Meg Page and Frank and Alice Ford and their families.
Sir John Falstaff is strapped for cash and is foolhardy in the belief that he can seduce Mistress Meg Page and Mistress Alice Ford and gain access to money through deceitful ways. He sends the wives indentical letters and his plan is underway. Any appall experienced by the wives on receipt and upon comparing notes is soon turned to seeking devilish revenge and to teach Falstaff a lesson. The jealous Frank Ford gets hold of the wrong end of the stick and is suspicious of his wife's antics.
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| Actor, John Hodgkinson as Sir John Falstaff The Merry Wives of Windsor The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Summer 2024 Photograph : Manuel Harlan |
Audiences and critics alike have endeared themselves to the wit and spirit of Sir John Falstaff (the knight with a wide girth: Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2) and, here, he is a comical figure once again. Actor, John Hodgkinson is wonderfully Falstaffian, just great in his role as one of Shakespeare's most beloved characters using body stature and movement as well as wonderful language skills he is a larger than life; such a stage presence.
Shakespeare places characters in dilemmas and Richard Goulding (Frank Ford) expresses the suppressed jealously of a suspicious husband and explodes him into an angry, blustering husband - marvellous!
A sub plot involving a fued between broken French speaking, Dr Caius and the Welsh Reverend, Sir Hugh Evans adds much humour and entertainment, played by Jason Thorpe and Ian Hughes respectively, the physical performances are as noteable as their linguistic skills.
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| John Dougall (Shallow) and Wil Johnson (George Page) The Merry Wives of Windsor The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Summer 2024 Photograph : Manuel Harlan |
There is also a true love conquers all element to the story too and the young, Anne Page (Tara Tuani) succeeds in defying her father's plans for her suitorship. Whereas her mother, Meg's involvement in the course of running her love life doubles up in her same imaginative plot to humiliate Falstaff, and so, when her plan comes to fruition in the final scene(s) it gives rise to the involvement of fairies and fantasy, all so wonderful and typically Shakespearian!
The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon until 7 September 2024
**ENDS**
Review by theatre critic, Debra Hall who attended the evening performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor on Thursday 18
References
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) Press Release
THE RSC’S THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR ENJOY AFTERNOON TEA AHEAD OF THE SHOW'S OPENING ON 5 JUNE 31 May 2024
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) PRODUCTION IMAGES RELEASED FOR RSC’S THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR 10 June 2024
online:
google.com
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merrywives/characters/
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/henryv/character/pistol/
https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-plays/merry-wives-windsor/
https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/the-merry-wives-of-windsor/read/3/1/
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