The Merry Wives of Windsor

The setting for this New Theatre production of Shakespeare’s usually unregarded The Merry Wives of Windsor bodes well. Designed by director Victor Kalka, it features a large, very Aussie house with corrugated iron roofing and, yes, a Hills Hoist in the backyard. Perhaps this merry Windsor will be the city of Windsor in country New South Wales, with a house run by relatives of Kath and Kim. 

But no, we’re definitely in Olde England, the cast are stuck in their 16th century ways and the Hills Hoist must be regarded as a time traveller, a companion of some forgetful Doctor Who. 

With 17 in the cast, and such a great set, the New Theatre could give this old play the tickle up it deserves. Instead, for the most part, it settles into recounting the crotchety plot as it appears on paper, baffling us with its ancient, heralded twists and turns. Occasionally an actor might take a risk, ask about the time, speak out of turn, wink at us - but just for a moment.

Here and there an actor does give the old play a lift. Suzann James (Mistress Page) does a good impersonation of the afore-mentioned Kath and you can imagine a whole revised evening opening up. Cheryl Ward takes on the Fat Knight, Sir John Falstaff, and does well, but the part is seriously underwritten and Falstaff doesn’t get within a cooee of his importance in the history plays. 

Also revisited is the relationship between Anne Page and Fenton (Jesse Lancaster and Olivia Xegas). With another sex change, this young couple are completely acceptable. And I enjoyed the plotting and planning of Rob Ferguson as Frank Ford, though his disguise to fool Falstaff (coat, hat and glasses) wouldn’t surely pass muster.

At least I could make some sense of the above actors: the others mostly merged together in a barrage of sounds. What was needed was a complete attack on the old script, cutting some of the under-performing characters and bringing a mighty Falstaff to the fore.

Frank Hatherley

Photographer: Bob Seary