Shakespeare’s ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ is a little-produced play, often falling by the wayside in favor or his more well-known comedies like ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ ‘The Winter’s Tale’ or ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’

The performance of ‘Merry Wives,’ put on by the Renaissance Center Theater Company this Sunday, was so well done that one wondered why the play is not more popular.

The set within the Renaissance Center’s Black Box Theater was sparse, with only a table, some chairs and a bench on the floor, and a few wooden painted tree tufts and dangling ivy attached to the walls. Such a minimalist set is true to Shakespearean-era productions and helped to make certain scenes within the show more comical.

When Mistress Page (Emily List) had to quickly hide from Falstaff, List dramatically pressed herself up against one of the walls and pulled her veil in front of her face since the set truly offered nowhere else to hide. List’s wide shifting eyes ‘- the only part of her face left visible ‘- were absurdly funny as she stood there incognito.

Similarly, the scant set furthered the comedic element during Ford’s (Ruaidri Johnson) impassioned search for Falstaff in his wife’s chamber. After Falstaff was rolled off stage hidden in the laundry basket, Johnson slammed open the stool and bench ‘- the only hiding places other than a curtained-off closet. Yet even without Falstaff’s portly belly it would have been impossible for him to fit in the cramped bench or under the stool, making Ford’s search especially ridiculous.

Casting for ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ was skillfully done, as each actor seemed suited just to his role and would have seemed out of place in any other.

Caroline Correia’s loud brashness as the Hostess of the Garter was fitting, as was her swaggering step. Joey Stankeiwicz captured the dreamy foolishness of Slender, and Gregory Kleciak’s jovial tone and look was well matched to the trusting husband, Page.

The Renaissance Center Theater Company stayed true to the play, as Jack Zaryckyi and Walter Carroll spoke with accents as the Welsh priest Sir Hugh Evans and the French doctor Caius, respectively.

While a true Welshman or Frenchman would certainly know the accents were fake, both Zaryckyi and Carroll demonstrated careful work with their lines to sound as authentic as possible. Both spoke impressively and maintained their accented speech throughout the performance.

The pacing in certain scenes could have been improved. A few minutes into the play Shallow, Slender, Sir Hugh Evans, Page, Falstaff, Pistol and Nym are all onstage at once. Not only did this make for a crowded stage in the tiny black box theater, but with the quickness of the actors’ speech it made for a confusing stage. This scene and that of the fight between the doctor and the priest should have been slowed so the audience could keep pace.

This issue was almost nullified by the skillful acting, however.’ It is difficult to say that any one actor shone among the others because all demonstrated talent and experience.

Brittany Fitzgibbon was strong as the devising Mistress Quickly, with her sidelong glances at the various men she schemed with.’

Brooke Steinhauser and List made wonderful ‘Merry Wives’ ‘- List’s facial expressions as Mistress Page were hilarious, as she looked sly, cunning and mischievously delighted in turn. Steinhauser genuinely seemed to be holding back mirth with a light smile when she ‘- as Mistress Ford ‘- duped her husband and Falstaff time and again.

Even those with less experience showed talent. For even after a 40-year hiatus from stage, Steve Kallaugher captured both the sack-drinking, pleased-with-himself Falstaff and the miserable, thrice-duped Falstaff well.

Nothing was overacted ‘- except what should have been. List’s and Steinhauser’s acting-within-acting was expertly done. Their exaggerated movements, slightly stiff speech and overtly loud speech were perfectly silly and had the audience in stitches.

The Renaissance Center Theater Company did justice to an often-overlooked play. One might hope that seeing such a high caliber performance may encourage others to take on ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ more often.

Michelle Fredette can be reached at [email protected].
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