On Tuesday, Sept. 17 Longwood University’s Department of English and Modern Languages and Hampden-Sydney College joined together to bring the production “The Merry Wives of Windsor” to life in Jarman Auditorium. The show was performed by members of the American Shakespeare Center (ASC), which is located in Staunton, Va. Before the performance even began, the actors and actresses sang songs to get everyone excited; some period performances and other more modern songs such as “It’s Raining Men” and “You Give Love a Bad Name.” Seats filled up quickly in the auditorium and students also sat on stage for a “thrust stage” performance in which audience members were able to take part in the play.
The jokes and quips were already on a roll minutes before the play again. Members keep laughs up on stage as they recited facts about the ASC including the fact that “they do it with the lights on,” meaning the play takes place with all lights on to give the audience a chance to interact with performers. Another interesting point that was made clear during the show is that the actors took part in cross-gender casting. For example, the characters of Anne and William Page were played by the same woman.
Dr. Wade Edwards, French professor at Longwood, took the stage quickly to welcome everyone that came out and to thank Hampden-Sydney and assistant Professor of English from Longwood Dr. Robin Smith for bringing the night to life.
The story performed follows that of Sir John Falstaff (portrayed by Rick Blunt), who has found himself with financial issues and is now in a difficult situation as he comes up with a scheme to woo the wives of two of the men in Windsor in order to con them out of their money. At the same time, however, Sir Hugh Evans (Colin Ryan), Justice Robert Shallow (Joey Ibanez), and Master Page (Fernando Lamberty) try to get a reluctant Abraham Slender (Patrick Midgley) to marry Anne Page (Emily Joshi-Powell), the daughter of one of the wives Sir Falstaff is swooning over. On top of this, a young man named Fenton is also in love with Anne and intends to marry her as well.
When Mistress Page (Bridget Rue) and Mistress Ford (Stephanie Holladay Earl) realize they are both being fooled and tricked by Sir Falstaff, the girls vow to get revenge on the knight. They send the maid, Mistress Quickly (Russell Daniels) to fool Falstaff into believing that both have fallen for him and that they do not know the other knows about the letters. However, when the husbands discover what is going on, they believe their wives are being unfaithful.
The women, plotting to embarrass Sir Falstaff, pretend to have a panic attack to make Falstaff fear their husbands if he were found by them. The girls were extremely comedic in their overly panicked states. The plot seems more real, though, when their husbands arrive and, in frustration, kick the laundry basket that Falstaff has now hid in. Later they try to humiliate him again, dressing him as a woman to lead him out of the house.
Anne favors Fenton as Slender continues to try to achieve her hand. The hint of a “Romeo and Juliet” romance occurs, as Anne’s father wants her to be with Slender even though she wants to be with Fenton.
Jealousy, love, vengeance and humiliation paint the story of “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” The story is as funny as it is cunning with performers who bring the story to life and the audience to their feet with applause.
A break in the back curtains was maintained the entire play, covered by what could be considered a large changing area with separate curtains blocking the view of the audience. Instead of exiting either stage right or left, the actors entered and left the stage through this curtain.
The performance was brilliantly constructed, rewritten to entertain the 21st century, including lyrics and phrases from just recent popular trends. The most entertaining was perhaps the gossip done by the women, exceedingly high pitched and giggly over the letters, men and secrets. The actors also wore tennis shoes, football helmets and leather pieces as parts of their costumes. The connection to the audience worked only in their favor as it made the storyline even more entertaining than it already was.
While the date that the play was written is unknown, it was published in 1602 and is believed to have been written at some point between “Henry IV Part I” and “Henry IV Part II.” Both plays also feature Sir John Falstaff, the only character to appear in more than one written publication of William Shakespeare.
The process in order to get the ASC to perform for the schools began several months ago in January 2013 after Hampden-Sydney College featured the group in a workshop. Dr. Curtis Smith, Myers Professor and Director of the Freshman Leadership Program at Sydney, knew Dr. Robin Smith personally from town and they shared an interest in the ASC and began the collaboration to bring the group to perform. The choice to have them do the show at Longwood came strictly from the fact that the school had a larger auditorium to fit the audience. “Between the two of us, we got the money together to bring a full performance [to the schools],” said Dr. Curtis Smith.
Both schools hope to have the ASC return for a future annual event, but until funding is secured, they are simply pleased with the outcome of the evening’s events. Dr. Curtis Smith commented, “The people on the stage were having a wonderful time.”
Longwood President W. Taylor Reveley IV was equally as entertained by the night. “It was really wonderful,” he said. “The ASC is such a great group and it’s a real treat to have them here from Staunton,” said Reveley.
For more information regarding the ASC please visit www.americanshakespearecenter.com.
