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Merry Wives of Windsor
by
William Shakespeare
Director: Jeremy Cleverley and Clare Lewis
24th - 28th June 2003
Open-Air Shakespeare set to the backdrop of Gawsworth Hall.
The Merry Wives of Windsor is one of the best loved of Shakespeare's comedies.
Its central character is Sir John Falstaff (it has been suggested that it was written on
the order of Elizabeth I who wished to see Falstaff in love). Falstaff is flirting with two
married women for financial gain. He sends identical love letters to Mrs Ford and Mrs Page
and he ends up thrown in a dirty ditch and beaten while in disguise as the 'fat woman of
Brainford' by Mr Ford. His final embarrassment at Herne's oak is the worst, however. While all
this goes on there is the matter of Page's daughter to be dealt with. Her three suitors
(Doctor Caius, Slender and young Fenton) try to win the approval of her parents but the true
lover of Anne Page ends up the victor in hilarious circumstances.
| PROLOGUE (a rememberance of times past) |
| Robert Shallow, Justice of the Peace |
Peter de la Wyche |
| Justice Silence |
Eric Smith |
| Sir John Falstaff |
Dave Midgley |
| THE PLAY |
| George Page, a citizen of Windsor |
Martin Pritchard |
| Mistress Page, his wife |
Christina Theobald |
| Anne Page, their daughter |
Deborah Taylor |
| Frank Ford, another citzen of Windsor |
Victor Hassan |
| Mistress Ford, his wife |
June Janes |
| Sir Hugh Evans, a Welsh Parson |
Paul Lewis |
Doctor Caius, a French physician,
suitor for the hand of Anne Page |
Simon Taylor |
| Mistress Quickly, Doctor Caius' housekeeper |
Adele Taylor |
| John Rugby, Doctor Caius' manservant |
Toby Jones |
| The Host of the Garter Inn |
Brian Stoner |
Fenton, a young gentleman,
suitor for the hand of Anne Page |
Simon Caporn |
Sir John Falstaff |
Dave Midgley |
| Robin, Falstaff's Page |
Lara Wells |
| Bardolph, follower of Falstaff |
Tom Thistleton |
| Pistol, follower of Falstaff |
Mark Jephcott |
| Nym, follower of Falstaff |
Eric Smith |
Abraham Slender, Shallow's nephew,
suitor for the hand of Anne Page |
Charlie Cook |
| Peter Simple, Slender's servant |
Geoffrey Martin |
| Lady of Windsor |
Daphne Martin |
| Ladies and Children of Windsor |
| Jane Anderson, Jill Damen, Robyn Forsyth, Olivia Jones, Caitlan Jones, Caroline Melliar-Smith, Sam Stevenson |
| Servants / ASMs |
| Julian Donald, Julia Rutherford, Matt Jones, Olivia Watkinson |
| Stage Manager |
Clare Lewis |
| ASM |
Liz Cook
Mary Pritchard
Jan Atkinson |
| Prompt |
Sheila Hine |
| Lighting and Sound |
Robin Watkinson |
| Properties |
Jill Damen
Violet Pope |
| Wardrobe |
Olive Bradbury
Pat Barrow and team |
| Choreography |
Alexandra Howarth |
| Choral Coach |
Chris McClory |
| Acknowledgements |
Costumes:
Royal Shakespeare Co, Strafford
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester |
Props:
Altrincham Garrick Theatre |
The play is kindly sponsored by
Royal London Assurance |
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