HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-07-04, Page 31Entertainment
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY. JULY 4, 1990. PAGE 31.
Country Playhouse
plans plays for children
Wooing the ladies
Roberta Maxwell as Mistress Alice Ford, left, and Patricia Conolly as Mistress Meg Page pretend to
lead on the “dear” Sir John Falstaff played by James Blendick in Stratford’s “Merry Wives of
Windsor”. Falstaff isa penniless knight, who tries to woo the ladies in an attempt to get money. They
in turn decide to teach him a lesson.
^healre review
Don’t mess with success
BY BONNIE GROPP
The Merry Wives of Windsor,
Shakespeare’s popular comedy that
is presently on stage at Stratford’s
Avon Theatre, has a strong cast of
talented performers and is overall,
not bad.
However, one detriment to the
production is a major one. I
personally dislike the recent trend
at Stratford of transporting Shake
speare’s plays and characters into
another time. If Shakespeare has
become so overused that some feel
a need to make it different, the
attempt should at least work. As I
watched this particular production,
which director Bernard Hopkins
chose to set in the Edwardian era,
for whatever reason, I felt strange
ly out of sync. Listening to the Old
English of Elizabethan times and
watching people at a sea-side
resort in the early part of the
century had a sense of imbalance
and incongruity. It also resulted in
inconsistencies and inaccuracies
(like the use of a telephone) that
are discomfiting. As for enhancing
the story, obviously the many
people snoozing, didn’t think it
had.
y
| The plot of the Merry Wives of
—i' Windsor is simple, but fun. Sir
John Falstaff, who was first a
character in Henry IV, has become
a penniless lecher in this story. He
decides to woo Mistresses Page
and Ford, the wives of two prosper
ous townsmen. After the ladies
discover he has sent them identical
love letters, they are appalled and
determined to get revenge. Falstaff
finds himself at the mercy of the
women as they pretend to encour
age him in his lascivious pursuit,
with the aid of Mistress Quickly,
the town busybody.
In the meantime three suitors vie
for the hand of Ann Page, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Page. One is of her
choosing, one her mother prefers,
while the other is favoured by the
father. Mistress Quickly again
serves as go-between.
In the final scene the entire
community is called upon to share
and witness the ultimate humilia
tion of Falstaff, as designed by
“the wives”.
James Blendick as the corpulent,
mercenary Falstaff, is wonderful, a
truly likeable rogue. The “Wives”
played by Roberta Maxwell (Ford)
and Patricia Conolly (Page) are
lovely, admirable women, with a
great deal of pride and a good
sense of fun. They show spirit and
common sense in dealing with
Falstaff.
Colm Feore tends to overact as
the jealous Frank Ford, who can
not believe he will be the cuckolded
husband, but has some funny,
quite memorable moments.
The rest of the cast all put in fine
performances, including under
study Karen K. Edissi, who re
placed Susan Wright as Mistress
Quickly for the evening’s perfor
mance.
The set design by Allan Stich-
bury was simple, yet effective.
With such an impressive group
of actors, one can only wonder why
the play was changed to a different
era. It is dramatic license that
neither improved or enhanced the
play; actually detracted from an
otherwise solid production.
The Merry Wives of Windsor is
at the Avon Theatre until Novem
ber 11.
The Huron Country Playhouse
Young Players have been busy
rehearsing since June 18. Young
Player’s director Barbara Wheel-
don has had more than enough to
keep her busy with three children’s
shows which will be ready to open
in Playhouse II starting on July 4.
“The Girl on the Mountain”,
“Girls Can’t Pitch”, and “Rumple-
stiltskin” are the three one-act
musicals which will be running in
repertory Tuesday to Saturday at
11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. July 4 to
August 11. Young Players Anas
tasia Kokolakis, Gary Koop, Sandy
Lordy, Lordy
Look who’s 40
THE RED HEADED
COWBOY!
July 7
25t&
KAREN AND DAVE
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Michael and David Ian Matheson
will be performing a variety of roles
in these three enchanting shows.
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July 9
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