[NEohioPAL]Berko review: MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR (GLTF)

[Roy Berko]

AT GLTF, ‘MERRY WIVES’ ARE MERRY, BUT....


Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


When the name Shakespeare is invoked, most Americans,
having been exposed mainly to his tragedies, such as
‘HAMLET’ and ‘MACBETH’ think of such terms as
“abstract,” “difficult to understand” and “academic.” 
That image of Shakespeare and his works is basically
wrong.  Shakespeare was, or so it is recounted, a
rebel for his time.  He was a playwright for the
common people. Many of his plays are bawdy and filled
with sexual innuendoes.  His comedies have a great
deal of farcical undertones and lend themselves to
broad interpretation.  ‘THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR,’
now in production at the Great Lakes Theatre
(Shakespeare) Festival, is a case in point.

Upon entering the Ohio Theatre, you will quickly
realize that this is not your traditional
Shakespearean production.  The audience is confronted
with an orange and teal Howard Johnson motel.  As the
play, under Sari Ketter’s direction proceeds, we are
hit with more “non-Shakespearean” effects and doings. 
Pop music from the 50s is used for transitions as the
sets are changed by a crew of Howard Johnson
waitstaff.  Costumes are from the same era.  One of
the lead characters, resembles Elvis Presley complete
with DA haircut, jeans with rolled cuffs, and white
t-shirt with a pack of cigarettes rolled into the
sleeve.  Another is a Marilyn Monroe knock-off
complete with white dress and halter top which is
ready to fly over her head if she passes over an
air-shaft.   It doesn’t take long to realize that this
is going to be a no-holds barred, over-the-top
farcical attack on the Bard of Avon’s work.

‘THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR’ is often termed a
bourgeois comedy.  Many critics consider it to be one
of Shakespeare's weaker plays, mainly because he has
taken Falstaff, the superbly developed character  of
the two Henry IV plays, and made him as a lesser
character.  In addition, the writing is more visual
image than the usual Shakespearean language-centered
plays.  It is also theorized that the play was quickly
written when the Bard was commissioned to scribe a
piece in early April of 1597 for The Garter Festival
in honor of Queen Elizabeth I, which was staged the
third week of April.  Interestingly, the plot may have
been prescribed by Queen Elizabeth, a great theatre
goer, who wanted to see Falstaff in love.

The play’s story line places Sir John Falstaff, a
conniving lecher, in Windsor with the intent of
improving his financial lot by courting Mistresses
Ford and Page, two wealthy married women, .  These
"merry wives" are not interested in the aging,
overweight Falstaff as a suitor, but for the sake of
their own amusement pretend to respond to his
proposals. At one point, Falstaff is forced to hide in
a laundry basket which is then thrown into the river. 
In another instance, he is forced to dress in women’s
clothing to avoid being caught in his scheme.  As in
all of Shakespeare’s comedies, all’s well that ends
well.  Falstaff is exposed as the fool he is, young
love wins out and the merry wives are destined to live
happily ever after. 

As has been the case since Charles Fee became the
Artistic Director at GLFT, comedy means exaggerated
farce.  Fee loves to hear audiences laughing.  He
obviously has a partner in Sari Ketter, who directs
with a manic intensity that would make the Marx
Brothers and the Three Stooges happy. Many of the
gimmicks work, others do not.  After a while some of
the shticks become tedious, such as the overly
choreographed set changes.  On the other hand, the
audience does have a good time.  Whether it has
anything to do with the script’s intent or not is
obviously irrelevant.  As evidenced by the preteens
sitting in our row who were hysterical, children will
love the slapstick so this production might be a good
way to introduce them to the joys of Shakespeare.

The cast is right in sync with Ketter.  No one
mumphers, phumphers and makes frog like eye pops like
Andrew May.   He is given many opportunities to be the
Andrew we know-and-love as Master Ford, the jealous
husband.  Kathryn Cherasaro and Lynn Allison are
wonderful as Mistresses Ford and Page.  Skinny and
gangling Jeff Cribbs makes for the perfect geek as
Master Slender, a reluctant wooer of Anne Page.  Tom
Weaver is his equal as his spindly-legged companion. 
Gum chewing Nina Domingue, complete with “New Yawk”
squealing accent, is delightful as the nosey
housekeeper.

In this production that knows no boundaries, Paul
Kiernban’s underplaying of Falstaff was off-setting. 
His belly and clothing were funny, but his
characterization often goes astray.  Nicholas Koesters
as Master Fenton, who is the final victor in the
wooing of Anne Page, has difficulty maintaining his
Elvis/cool guy sound and mannerisms.  Marc Moritz
overdoes the accent of Dr. Caius to the extent that he
is often impossible to understand.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:    Director Sari Ketter’s
interpretation  of ‘THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR’ is not
for everyone.  If you are willing to put aside your
thoughts of what Shakespeare should be, and will
yourself (pardon the pun) to just sit back and accept
that this isn’t the traditional format, or that many
of the shticks and gimmicks don’t completely work,
you’ll enjoy yourself.  If you don’t like slapstick,
and are a Shakespeare purist, stay home.  

‘THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR’ and ‘YOU CAN’T TAKE IT
WITH YOU’ are running in tandem through September 3. 
For tickets to any GLTF production call 216 241-6000
or 800-766-6048.

EDUCATORS:  GLTF has prepared an excellent Teacher
Preparation Guide for aiding students to understand
and enjoy ‘THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR’ and ‘YOU CAN’T
TAKE IT WITH YOU.’  Call GLTF to obtain your copy.


Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.


		
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