Sir John Falstaff is down on his luck, and so decides to pursue liaisons with two rich but respectably married ladies—who, in a series of sly maneuvers, effectively turn the tables on him. With its comic mix-ups, broad humor, and amusingly implausible plot line, The Merry Wives of Windsor has been called the forerunner of the modern sitcom. This staging of Christopher Luscombe’s acclaimed production features Christopher Benjamin as the lecherous, scheming Falstaff, and Serena Evans and Sarah Woodward as the equally crafty objects of his affection. Viewers have a front-row seat at the restored Globe for one of Shakespeare’s most accessible works. (140 minutes)
|