“Merry Wives of Windsor” – Bard on the Beach

Directed by: Dean Paul Gibson
Vanier Park
Vancouver, BC

June 16 – September 25, 2004 – 8pm
3 hrs: one “twenty-minute” intermission around 9:15pm

WEB: www.bardonthebe a ch.org (for the long version synopsis of the play)

Other Shakespeare Information Links:

Internet Shakespeare Editions ~ University of Victoria
Shakespeare Homepage Text of Plays and Guides
Shakespeare Web Interactive.

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“Director Dean Paul Gibson has set this production in the colourful, lush and exaggerated Restoration era where frivolous liaisons were the norm in high society.”

Starring:

Sir John and The Merry Wives:
Duncan Fraser: “The frivolous knight Sir John Falstaff”
Jennifer Lines: “The ‘merry wife' Mistresses Ford”
Kerry Sandomirsky: “The ‘merry wife' Mistresses Ford”

David Marr: “The jealous husband, Master Ford”
Andrew Wheeler: “The trusting Master Page”

Falstaff's followers :

John Innes: “Bardolph”
Gerry Mackay: “Pistol”
James Fagan Tait: “Nym”
Derek Metz: “Host of the Garter Inn”

Anne and Her Suitors:

Lara Gilchrist: “Anne Page”
Scott Bellis: ”Doctor Caius”
Haig Sutherland: “Slender”
David Mackay: “Fenton”

Miscellaneous Others:

Colleen Wheeler: “Matchmaker Mistress Quickly”
Christopher Weddell: “Justice Shallow”
Russell Roberts: “The Parson - Sir Hugh Evans”
Jonathan Geehan: “Caius' servant John Rugby”
Josh Epstein: “Slender's servant Peter Simple”

Montana Blu Hunter (13-year-old Young Shakespeareans ‘graduate'): “Falstaff's page, Robin”

Design Team:

Mara Gottler (Costumes)
David Roberts (Set)
Gerald King (Lighting)
Alessandro Juliani (Sound/Original Music)
Nicholas Harrison (Flights)
Peter Huck (Choreography)
Stephen Courtenay (Production Stage Manager)
Rebecca Craster (Assistant Stage Manager)
Jeffrey Hsu (Apprentice Stage Manager)

Reviewed by: Caesi Bevis and Elsa Nicholosi

Put the blame on Shakespeare for writing a play that is hard to get into due to the sheer volume of characters introduced early on, with some actors playing double parts. If you can hang in the first half-hour, this is a play that will long be remembered for being well executed, fun, and downright silly for its staging. At almost three hours in length – and it “feels like” three hours, the cast puts 100% of their hearts into delivering what probably was a real challenge to choreograph and direct.

The actors seem equally talented, for the most part, with Kerry Sandomirsky (“Mistress Page”), Scott Bellis (“Doctor Caius”), Russell Roberts (“Sir Hugh Evan”), Colleen Wheeler (“Mistress Quickly”), Josh Epstein (“Peter Simple”), Jonathan Geenen (“John Rugby”) - not necessarily in order of talent – all shining just a bit above the rest. The weakest links, if there are any, are Haig Sutherland (“Slender”) maybe was having an “off” night – but seemed to want to walk through his role on mere facial expressions to get him through, and Lara Gilchrist as “Anne Page”. Having seen her in both shows now, she seems still in student Studio 58 mode as a recent 2004 graduate. Give her a few years, and she may be better suited to Bard. She just doesn't seem to be able to have any body-freedom in being her character; she's very stiff on stage.

Testament to the acting improv skills of Kerry Sandomirsky and Jennifer Lines, both recovered quickly and smoothly to unexpected, not in the script, moments. Kerry (“Mistress Page”) had a much needed prop letter fall from her pocket and spent a few hasty uncomfortable moment trying to find where it had gotten to. Jennifer (“Mistress Ford”) seemed to have the surprise of the evening when Duncan Fraser (“ Sir John Falstaff”), did a great job of ‘losing his balance' and ended up rolling down the flight of stairs, only to get onto his feet and continue acting, not missing a beat. Jennifer's stifled laughter seemed genuine.

This show works on all levels, and surprisingly, it is equally as great as the “Much Ado About Nothing” – for this alone the show deserve major accolades as most of the cast performs in both shows, and many carry strong starring or support leads. Kerry Sandomirsky as “Mistress Page” in this show and “Beatrice” in “Much Ado…” for example, carries a lot of lines I both shows, as does Jennifer Lines (“Mistress Ford” in “Merry Wives” and “Margaret” in “Much Ado…”

Staging and direction for this show is masterful! The flow, although a little fast as one scene falls directly on top of the next, keeps the action on stage, and the audience isn't restlessly squirming. Antics from the fight scene between “Dr. Caius” and “Sir Hugh Evans” are very funny! Colleen Wheeler as “Mistress Quickly”, delivers several long monologues meant to be long and boorish that must have been a memorization nightmare! “Bardolph's” fetish or closet gay moments are very funny, from his reaction from having his face licked by another man (“Dr. Caius”), to overly enjoying “Fenton's” (David Mackay) play with the scarf describing plans to cross –dress. “Fenton's” (David Mackay) playing house with the model of the set of the Bard Stage, complete with Shakespearean doll cutouts available in the gift shop, was SO funny. He had to add a "touch of improv" as some of the audience couldn't see it was “the” set, initially. Realizing this, he held it up for the audience to get a closer look. Then the gag worked and people laughed. The laundry basket scene with “Sir John”(Duncan Fraser) was also well done. (We were left wondering if he crawled at through a trap door – or was his full weight sitting on James Fagan Tait (“John”)?)

Costuming was very strong and lighting design noticeably excellent. Deciding to have “Mistress Ford” (Jennifer Lines) be a pale blond was an interesting ‘calI'; she looks stunning as a blond! I (Caesi) was left wondering why “Mistress Ford's” (Jennifer Lines) skirt length was so much shorter than the others – looked like it had shrunk? I also noticed the inconsistencies in number of buttons on cuffs for the women, three on one suit-coat, and five on another. I'm curious enough about it, to research it and see if both were in vogue at the same time. Also the initial wig on “Sir John” seemed a bit too-too much, looked more like Mickey Mouse ears. The lighting of the night scene and forest scene worked really well. Sometimes it is fun to turn around and look at the lights to see what design was used to create the effect. The forest scene was blues, greens and white light. It worked.

The a cappella original (?) song sung during the chanting scene in the forest, was really a nice touch.

The play's weak points: Somehow Beatle's “A Hard Day's Night” music was cued up for one scene and quickly yanked. Oops! Another time a new scene started on top of old music – a cue must have been missed. The “what looked like” taxidermy deer head mask used by “Sir John” in the forest scene – could have done without this, especially ending the play with the dead dear staring at the audience. (Fair warning – leave early!!!! – if this sort of thing bothers you. It is GROSS!)

“I think everyone played full out. Nothing ‘flagged' to me. They were having fun; they were enrolled in ‘who they were being' and carried their characters well. The costumes and lighting were excellent. “Sir John [Falstaff]” (Duncan Fraser) was really funny, really good. I also thought Colleen Wheeler (“Mistress Quickly”) was very good, as well. I thought “Mistress Page” (Kerry Sandomirsky) was the strongest. “Dr. Caius” (Scott Bellis) was also very good and I liked the way he seemed to be able to make his eyes go in two directions at once. I wasn't sure about the Beatle music – which was odd. Did they do that, for fun? I also noticed the music cueing to fade was off in some places. I'd like to know more about that laundry basket. How did they roll that off James Fagan Tait?

All in all, this is a fun show, with a lot of adult humour. Leave the kids at home.

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Closing comment: The laundry basket gag doesn't work so well. While funny, it pulls the viewer “away from watching the play”, to being “concerned” for the well being of the actor underneath. The scene remains perplexing long after the break and end of the show. James Fagan Tait sits up a just too red-faced after the incident for it to land as just “funny”.

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