This 2019 production of Shakespeare's The Merry Wives Of Windsor has been made available to watch on YouTube for a short period while the country's theatres still remain closed.
I have to admit to being a little sceptical about watching this, since the last two Globe productions I have watched were absolutely not to my liking at all, finding them facile, irreverent in their treatement of the Bard, poorly cast etc. However, I am more than happy to report that this production has restored my faith in Shakespeare's Globe as a producing company, and, despite the traditionalist in me baulking at many things, was able to enjoy the show for what it was and see beyond my own personal likes / dislikes.
The story is the only Shakespeare comedy to be set in England, and tells of Sir John Falstaff, a "fat knight" living in Windsor who fools himself into believing that two of the most beautiful women in Windsor, both already wed, are in love with him, and he sets about seducing them both, and trying to rid their husbands of a deal of money from their purses at the same time. However, he is undone and gets his come-uppance.
Directed by Elle While, this is a play with a great attention to detail, crafted with an obvious love of the play and comedy in general. Setting the play in the 1930s was an interesting choice and am uncertain what advantages that provided other than to include jazz and Charleston! Britain has a long and illustrious history of trailblazing comedy and While drew inspiration from this rich heritage with her direction. I enjoyed the most un-pc use of stereotyping people and their local accents (Welsh, London, Yorkshire, USA, Jamaican and French!)
Yes there were bastardisations of the script - something which generally irks and I am completely against, however here I saw this version more of an adaptation than anything, and I have to admit that the well-chosen ad-libs and additions did make the play much more relatable and humorous.
I also enjoyed the use of and acknowledgement of a live audience without playing to them. A nice compromise in such an intimate setting.
All the cast were very good, and worked well together. There was very much an ensemble feel to this play, and While's direction was tight, solid, but also gave the actors plenty of room to manoeuvre, if that isn't a contradiction in itself. Good spacing and use of the stage, with a live jazz band on the first gallery on stage. The choreography was in keeping with the period and worked excellently, especially the finale dance; and I loved the incongruity of the denouement. Falstaff was played by Pearce Quigley. He was an absolute delight. Deadpan with a Yorkshire brogue, and absolutely hilarious. He also looked like Joe Wilkinson in 20 years' time! The other leading cast to deserve a special mention were Richard Katz's Dr. Caius, Forbes Masson's George Page, and naturally the two leading ladies and driving forces in the play, Sarah Finigan and Bryony Hannah as Mistresses Page and Ford respectively.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 10/6/20
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