The Merry Wives of Windsor

Reviewing a production for Water Lane is always a pleasure.  I know how much they enjoy performing a Shakespeare play in the lovely Monastery Gardens and it certainly is a setting which lends itself so well to be being used for the purpose.  This does mean of course being reliant on the weather and with no back-up venue this year, it was fingers crossed that the rain stayed away. Fortunately it did just that  on this the opening evening.

As always with Shakespeare we find ourselves bombarded with words and convoluted sentences. Good diction and strong intonation are therefore required and the degree to which this was applied did vary somewhat.  This though was a fun show from start to finish, and it was obvious that the cast were all totally immersed in their roles as they acted their way through this tale of love, lust, arranged assignations and fanciful seductions. 

The setting was that of a holiday camp within Windsor Great Park with Host of the Camp, Megan Rensch, looking for all the world like an escapee from Hi-De-Hi in white skirt and Yellow Coat’s blazer. What a great idea!

Falstaff, well played by a suitably padded Richard Pink, arrives at the camp with his men and devises a plan to boost his meagre funds.  Good performances from S-J Pyne (Meg Page) and Amanda Green (Alice Ford), the ladies in line for seduction.

Sally Fenton was excellent as Mistress Quickly and the same must be said of Penny Reeves as Justice Shallow.

There were so many good performances. Adam Miles as Sir Hugh Evans the Parson and Granville Rush as jealous husband Frank Ford disguising himself as Monsieur le Brook complete with black beret and a string of onions. A mention also for Vanessa Templey on her lovely animated performance as Patty Simple, dashing around in her marigolds with duster in hand.

I may have only mentioned a few members of the cast individually but everyone is to be congratulated on their part in this very innovative and extremely comical production.

Thank you for inviting me.

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