Leave it to the Bard, William Shakespeare, to stuff his comedy “The Merry Wives of Windsor” with a happy assortment of characters and plot lines. He starts with two jealous husbands, their wives who are willing to stir a pot of trickery, one fat knight who needs funds and determines to woo two wealthy women to fill his pockets with coins, a desirous mistress who has a trio of suitors vying for her hand, and schemes galore to keep you entertained.
Get thee over to Edgerton Park on the border of Hamden and New Haven, bring a picnic, chairs or blankets, the kiddies and family pet, and take a seat under the stars to let the Elm Shakespeare Company present a delightful production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” every night, except Mondays, until Sunday, September 3 at 7:30 p.m. A half hour of musical treats precedes the show.
Raphael Massie's Sir John Falstaff is the portly knight at the center of the scheming when he sends two almost identical love letters to Liz Daingerfield’s Mistress Ford and Abigail C. Onwunali’s Mistress Page, two friends who are happily married to Walton Wilson’s Mister Ford and Malachi dre Beasley’s Mister Page, respectively. The women quickly learn of Falstaff’s trickery and decide to have fun with a little revenge of their own. Mister Ford when he learns of his wife’s suspected infidelity disguises himself as Master Brook and cleverly enlists Falstaff to help him court his own wife, while uncovering her unfaithful ways.
Meanwhile the lovely lass Anne Page, Terra Chaney, is juggling the affections of three suiters, the smooth talking James Andreassi’s Dr. Caius, Gracy Brown’s Justice Shallow’s personal choice of husband her cousin Michael Allyn Crawford’s Slender, and Anne’s true love, Stefani Kuo’s Fenton.
Come see how the wives use a laundry basket to further their schemes, how Anne ends up with the proper husband and what happens to Falstaff for all his deceptions. Dawn Monique Williams moves the action merrily along, inserting a few modern tunes to enliven the story, on a lovely set created by Alexander Clark.
Donations are most welcome and appreciated, suggested at $25. Mark your calendar for Shakespeare by the Sea, a gala for the theater company at Amarante’s Sea Cliff, 62 Cove Street, New Haven on Wednesday, September 13, rain or shine, starting at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails, buffet and auction. Go online to start your bidding for silent auction items and to make your reservations.
Make this comic production a highlight of your summer as you root for Falstaff to literally fall on his face as his schemes and trickery go amiss.
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