My Shows
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

The Atlanta Shakespeare Company Presents THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

By:

The Atlanta Shakespeare Company at The New American Shakespeare Tavern presents The Merry Wives of Windsor, March 3-4, March 9-April 1, 2012. Join the cast and crew members for a lively Question and Answer session on Sunday March 11 after the show.

Sir John Falstaff, in Windsor and short of money, decides to woo both Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, prosperous citizens’ wives, and sends identical letters to them. Two of Falstaff’s discharged followers, Pistol and Nym, reveal this to the husbands, though only the jealous Ford takes real notice. Going to the Garter Inn, disguised as “Master Brook”, he asks Falstaff to woo Mistress Ford on his behalf and learns that the knight already has an assignation. The wives prepare to trick Falstaff. At the same time other complex love-matters are in progress. The French physician, Caius, in love with Anne Page, has challenged Parson Hugh Evans to a duel, simply because Evans has asked the doctor’s house keeper, Quickly, to help the foolish Abraham Slender to Anne’s hand. Actually, Anne – as we have seen in Act I – is in love with Master Fenton who has already enlisted the versatile Quickly as an ally. Caius and Evans are reconciled by the Host of the Garter who has neatly prevented the duel.

Falstaff is carried from Ford’s house (just as Ford arrives to search it) in a laundry-basket of dirty linen; later and “Brook”, Ford discovers what has happened and hears of a new assignation between Falstaff and Mistress Ford. This time Falstaff escapes in the clothes of a maid’s aunt who Ford, still unknowing, beats unmercifully as a witch. At length, the jest revealed to their husbands, the wives get Falstaff, disguised as the ghost of Herne the Hunter, to meet Mistress Ford in the Windsor Forest at midnight. There all is settled when Falstaff is assailed by a group of Windsor children, disguised as fairies and hobgoblins. Caius and Slender are each tricked into running off with boy “fairies”, thinking them to be Anne. Fenton and Anne appear, just married; and the end will be a journey home “to laugh this sport o’er by a country fire.”

Purchase Tickets Online for most performances at www.shakespearetavern.com.

Theater Fans' Choice Awards
2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats
Best Revival of a Musical - Top 3
1. Ragtime
39% of votes
2. CATS: The Jellicle Ball
22.3% of votes
3. Chess
21.9% of votes

Don't Miss a Atlanta News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Spring season, discounts & more...


Videos


9 to 5: The Musical in Atlanta 9 to 5: The Musical
Marietta Theatre Company (5/28-6/06)
2026 Season in Atlanta 2026 Season
Marietta Theatre Company (1/22-8/22)
Wicked in Atlanta Wicked
The Fox Theatre (3/03-3/28)
Hamilton (Angelica Company) in Atlanta Hamilton (Angelica Company)
The Fox Theatre (9/02-9/20)
Auditions: Tapas: Declarations of Independence  in Atlanta Auditions: Tapas: Declarations of Independence
Academy Theatre (7/10-7/26)
Lumiere Lounge Cabaret Night: Broadway's Golden Age in Atlanta Lumiere Lounge Cabaret Night: Broadway's Golden Age
Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre (5/21-5/21)
The Wiggles in Atlanta The Wiggles
Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre (8/16-8/16)
A Christmas Tradition in Atlanta A Christmas Tradition
Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre (12/11-12/21)
In The Rat’s Mouth in Atlanta In The Rat’s Mouth
The Supermarket (5/28-6/06)
Annie in Atlanta Annie
Woodstock Arts Theatre (7/10-7/26)