Review: THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, Shakespeare's Globe

Very few Shakespeare characters are awarded repeat appearances in his plays, one of the more notable being John Falstaff. In fact, the oafish knight was so widely regarded by audiences in Henry IV Part One and Henry IV Part Two, that it's rumoured that Queen Elizabeth I herself commissioned The Merry Wives of Windsor, the story where he takes centre stage.

When Falstaff, short on money, arrives in Windsor, he opts to woo two of the town's most eligible...wives, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, to improve his financial situation. Full of the misplaced bravado of a man on a modern dating app, he decides to send the same opening letter to both women.

This ruse quickly unfolds when they share these letters with each other, promptly deciding to enact revenge. Further chaos ensues when their husbands, Page and Ford, catch wind of Falstaff's plans and also attempt to catch him out, with neither party deciding to fill the other in. By the end, it's clear that revenge is a dish best served thrice. Amidst the chaos, there is an equally silly marriage plot, centred around Anne Page.

It's an intricate yet utterly ridiculous plot that makes a little more sense on stage than it does on paper. Though it quickly becomes clear why this is one of the Bard's lesser-performed works, confident direction from Sean Holmes allows for a laugh-a-minute production that's full of sleazy charm, trickery, and wit.

George Fouracres is absolutely fantastic as Falstaff, commanding the stage with natural charisma throughout. This makes for a more sympathetic portrayal of Falstaff than audiences may be used to, especially when it appears his feelings for Mistress Ford may not be entirely misplaced.

Emma Pallant and Katherine Pearce are dynamic and captivating as Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, respectively, aptly proving why they are immortalised in the title and not Falstaff. In a push against social conventions of the time, they are master puppeteers behind Falstaff's undoing, with efforts from Ford (the magnetic Jolyon Coy) and the other male figures within the play falling laughably short.

Adam Wadsworth is the stand-out of the night, expertly playing two of Anne's suitors at once, the overtly camp doctor Caius and Slender, who struggles to string a sentence together in the presence of a woman. However, the entire ensemble put in the work to add depth and intrigue to the otherwise shallow script, making for an incredibly entertaining night at the Globe.

While there are a few speeches or sections lost to acoustic issues, and it would have been interesting to see a few more risks taken with the staging, The Merry Wives of Windsor is another remarkable production from the Wooden O. It is escapism at its finest, even if the Globe doesn't spare you from the scorching summer heat.

The Merry Wives of Windsor is at Shakespeare's Globe until 20 September.

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