The Merry Wives of Windsor – Shakespeare North Playhouse

If Shakespeare chose a modern company to perform his work then it would undoubtedly be The Pantaloons; I’m equally sure he would be thrilled with director Steve Purcell’s adaptation of a play that had The Pantaloons stamped all over it when it was first written.

Roguish knight Falstaff (Alex Rivers) is down on his luck and reliant on the good will of the Host (William Ross-Fawcett) of his local tavern to keep him in good spirits of any kind! When he informs servants Nym (Jodie Micciche) and Pistol (Andrew Armfield) that he intends to seduce Mistress Ford (Micciche) and Mistress Page (Armfield) they refuse to deliver his letters, so he throws them out. When the letters eventually arrive via Mistress Quigley (Micciche) the two ladies laugh over their similarity and decide to get their revenge.

When Ford (Ross-Fawcett) discovers Falstaff’s intentions towards his wife he decides to pay him a visit in disguise. Meanwhile, Page (Rivers) arrives with the very French Doctor Caius (Ross-Fawcett) to whom he proposes to marry his daughter, but she is more interested in a much younger beau, Fenton (Ross-Fawcett).

With the audience in on the plots, twists and turns unravel as Falstaff and Ford both get their comeuppance as the Merry Wives make it quite clear who’s calling the shots and the menfolk, in admitting to their pomposity and delusion, are finally able to laugh at themselves: all’s well that ends well, but that’s another story…

In true Pantaloons style, all this mischief and mayhem is served up by a cast of four moving interchangeably between parts with the simplest change of tunic and coloured headwear ensuring that we all follow, yet there’s more, so much more: in spite of traffic issues which added four hours to their journey and saw them arrive thirty minutes before going on, our indomitable quartet brought us into the story from the off capturing local references and suggestions from the audience to be incorporated into the plot before launching into humorous song to the accompaniment of their own instruments in true Shakesperean style. Similarly, any risk of post interval audience slumber was blown away by a musical recap which saw us clapping and laughing along in spite of some unexpected drizzle: what goes on in Prescot, stays in Prescot but you’d be amazed at what a belly dance and a pineapple can do for a production!

With some fantastic ad-libbing, surreal choreography and, as always, precise comic timing, this was very much one for all and all for one, and an absolute pleasure to see four agile and consummate professionals at work: they even managed to seamlessly squeeze references to The Sound of Music and Jurassic Park in, what’s not to like!

If you missed this performance, fear not, you can catch the next stop of its UK tour at Speke Hall on 3rd August at 7pm, further information and booking details at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/speke-hall

Opened in 2022, Shakespeare North Playhouse was meant for productions such as this and it’s certainly the one that has hit home the most with me. Whilst the Performance Garden space is naturally suited towards outdoor theatre, one can only wonder at the dramatic impact a talented troupe such as The Pantaloons could have in the round of the Cockpit Theatre and hopefully following the resounding success of this evening, it will only be a matter of time. To see what else the venue has to offer visit https://shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/

The Pantaloons are a vibrant and anarchic theatre company whose main aim is to reinvent classic literature as postmodern folk theatre. Further details and their current touring productions at https://thepantaloons.co.uk/

Reviewer: Mark Davoren

Reviewed: 2^nd August 2024

North West End UK Rating: