THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR is Beauty and Joy at the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival

Tucked away in the beauty of Sand Harbor in Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park sits a stage set against what is said to be one of the most exquisite views in the country. The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival calls this stage home, and I was lucky enough to experience the wonder of their offerings this past weekend. This summer they are bringing two shows to the repertoire: The Merry Wives of Windsor And Always…Patsy Cline. The Merry Wives of Windsor is one of Shakespeare’s less frequently performed plays, although I find it at least as enchanting as his better-known plays.

The show is thought to have been written for Queen Elizabeth I, who reportedly wanted Shakespeare to write a story about Falstaff in love. Falstaff may not be so much in love as opportunistic in The Merry Wives of Windsorbut the play is full of humour, lust and deceit. The lazy and greedy Falstaff has recently arrived in Windsor and, being short of money, decides to try his luck by courting two married women, Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page. He sends them both a love letter and, disgusted by his advances, they quickly run to each other to share the letter. When they discover that the letters are identical, the women devise a plan to teach Falstaff a lesson. These women have fun at the expense of a very deserving Falstaff, putting him through hoops and humiliations (and a laundry basket) to gain their attention. A lovely subplot concerns Anne Page and her desire to marry the man of her choice, Fenton. Her mother wants her to marry Dr. Caius and her father betroths her to the reluctant Abraham Slender. It is a delight to watch how it all plays out with Shakespeare’s trademark mix of mistaken identity and humour.

The magic of this production is carried by a top cast. Each actor brings something unique to their role. And the best thing is that they pleasureand the feeling is infectious. The women, Madeline Calais-King as Mrs. Ford and Ellen Grace Diehl as Mrs. Page, are perfect. They are sassy, ​​clever and full of surprises. The object of their scorn, Sir John Falstaff, is played by Daniel T. Parker. He is the face of lust and excess, and embraces it all in an exhilarating way… almost making us feel sorry for him. Almost. Anthony Michael Martinez’s Dr. Caius is mesmerizing with its physical comedy – think Zorro meets Inigo Montoya. The rest of the cast is just as intoxicating to watch.

As something of a purist, I appreciated Daniele Tyler Mathews’ gorgeous costumes. Each has a hint of a nature theme, with the partners’ colors complementing each other. Jeff Herrmann’s set design is clever, making use of the available space with functional pieces that change based on which painting is on the wall. Director Terri McMahon has created a fun and cheerful experience that celebrates our human failings. The fact that it’s set in Lake Tahoe doesn’t hurt.

The Merry Wives of Windsor is playing at the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival through August 24. For more information and tickets, visit laketahoeshakespeare.com or call (800) 747-4697.

Photo credit: Strotz Photography

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