The Merry Wives of Windsor

Sponsored by Sue Silvey
8 p.m. Performances: July 6, 7, 28, August 3, 4
7:30 p.m. Performances: July 5, 17, 18, 25, 31, August 8, 9

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Synopsis
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Dramaturgical Notes
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In order to restore his fortunes, Sir John Falstaff sets out to seduce Mistress Page and her friend Mistress Ford, by sending love letters to each lady. Meanwhile, Page’s daughter Anne is being courted by the French Doctor Caius (her mother’s choice), and the youthful Fenton (not her mother’s choice). Each suitor enlists Mistress Quickly to help their cause.

Comparing their identical letters from Falstaff, Mistresses Ford and Page decide to trap him, inviting him over to Ford’s house for a rendezvous. Her jealous husband has heard of Falstaff’s plan, and disguises himself as the sly “Master Brook” in order to test his wife’s fidelity. He pays Falstaff to woo his wife on his behalf, and Falstaff happily takes Ford’s money.

Falstaff arrives and is suddenly forced to hide because the wives' husbands are coming home. The amused women conspire to invite Falstaff back to trick him again, and Ford, as Master Brook, convinces the reluctant Falstaff to return so that he may catch his wife in the act. In the mayhem, the wives disguise Falstaff as a woman. Upon returning, Ford—finding no evidence of infidelity—angrily drives the disguised Falstaff out of the house. The women reveal their tricks to their husbands and Master Page suggests they publicly humiliate Falstaff in order to teach him a lesson. Mistress Ford invites him to a private meeting at Windsor Park.

Meanwhile, Anne’s parents plot to force her to marry Doctor Caius. But Anne and Fenton plan to elope and thwart her parent’s wishes. The whole neighborhood meets in Windsor Park as the various plots come to surprising conclusions.