Shakespeare’s immortal farce, updated by the RSC and enjoyed by Jessica Harris.
Full of ridiculous plot lines and overblown characters, The Merry Wives of Windsor lends itself to farce. Set in suburban Windsor in the present day, Blanche McIntyre’s production does a brilliant job of bringing the absurd to the fore, whilst taking a dig at male entitlement and sexual predation, the divides of social class, and the all too human emotions of jealousy and revenge.
These rich themes are explored through episodes of scheming, deceit and disguise, with the underdog ultimately winning through. Mistress Page and Mistress Ford are astute enough to see off the entitled Sir John Falstaff who intends to seduce them. But, in a nod to the quick wits and moral conscience of those from lower social orders, they are helped by Nym and Pistol who have been abused by Falstaff and have a grudge against him.
The young Anne Page is to be married off against her wishes by her parents, but she out-maneuvers them and marries the man of her choosing. Mistress Ford, who suffers from a husband who is overly suspicious and jealous, finally receives an apology from him.
All of this is played out through hilarious scenes in which Falstaff is shown up for the buffoon he is, one moment hiding behind the curtains of the Fords’ middle-class sitting room, the next being dumped into the Thames along with the greasy and smelly laundry he has been holed up in. His inability to see through the deceits being practiced on him sets him up for his eventual very public fall.
Beneath the farce and the ridicule, the pomposity of the authoritarian Falstaff comes through. He seems to grow in height as he exclaims to Brooke (Ford in disguise) that he shall enjoy Mistress Ford – although only after Falstaff himself has done so. And in a nice play on the psyches of both characters, Falstaff rises from his bed to make way for Brooke / Ford to lie down so that Falstaff himself may take up the role of counselling him.
Robert Innes Hopkins’ set supports the farcical nature of the piece wonderfully. The exterior of a suburban house becomes by turns The Garter pub, the interior of the Fords’ home, Dr Caius’ dental surgery, and Falstaff’s grimy abode. Transformations are helped by pop-up furniture which emerges from the stage. Costuming, also by Hopkins, stands out, the two lead women evidencing their middle-class status in their ever-changing outfits, their animal print lounge gowns and their Waitrose shopping bags, whilst Slender sports a contradiction of blue slacks, green socks, green bowtie and grey jacket, all bottomed off with brown shoes.
John Hodgkinson as the portly Falstaff gives a gigantic performance in more ways than one, using his physicality to the full. Richard Goulding plays the jealous Frank Ford with a brooding intensity whilst Samantha Spiro is a spirited and feisty Mistress Page. Patrick Walshe McBride plays the comedy of the character of Slender to the max and Shazia Nicholls presents Mistress Quickly with an off the cuff quality and a broad Estuary accent.
This is a strong cast all round and the addition of some audience involvement with a bit of improvisation thrown in gives the feeling of an ensemble as keen to enjoy themselves as they are to please their audience.
Directed by Blanche McIntyre, The Merry Wives of Windsor is as topical and humorous as you can hope for. See it if you can. For further information visit rsc.org.uk
Pics – Manuel Harlan (c) RSC.