The Merry Wives of Windsor |
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The Merry Wives of Windsor is not one of the most performed Shakespeare plays, perhaps suggesting that it is not one of his better dramas, but Oxford Shakespeare Company's energetic and well-executed interpretation makes for a captivating show. The plot is not a simple one ( I recommend buying a programme and reading the synopsis first) with the main themes the age-old ones of courting, cuckoldry, jealousy, deception and revenge. Such was the complexity of the action that one of the actors felt impelled to ask the audience, "Are you keeping up with the plot?" and indeed there was plenty of slap-stick to leaven the density of Shakespeare's original lines. These pantomime aspects might offend purists, but they got the biggest laughs, and certainly caught the spirit of the piece. The performance included hilarious disguises and a professional performance by Falstaff, butt of female revenge for his inappropriate amorous (and pecuniary) advances, who succeeded in making us feel both sympathetic towards and appalled at his actions. The acting styles were diverse, with fine performances from French physician Caius, who provided 'allo 'allo style comedy, maid Nell Quickly, who took inspiration from Little Britain, and linguistically challenged Welsh priest Evans . That all but one of the female parts were played by male actors only added to the layers of deception - and the comedy. Although there seemed no particular rationale behind the wincingly vulgar 70's costumes, they did make made the characters identifiable, and the players' voices triumphed over the occasional helicopter. I did not lose concentration for a second and was enthralled until the end. Lucy Moore |