Review: THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR at Contemporary Theater Company

William Shakespeare never wrote a sitcom, but "Merry Wives of Windsor," one of the lightest and frothiest of his comedies, comes pretty close, and the Contemporary Theater Company admirably delivers the Bard's witty script in an utterly charming production on their outdoor stage by the Saugatucket River. A clever mix of light-hearted revenge, slapstick humor, empowered women, and crackling repartee, it's a perfect show for a hot summer evening.

While not one of his better known works on this side of the pond—a note by the director Michael Alper mentions that it's more popular in England—it is a showpiece for one of Shakespeare's larger-than-life characters, the disreputable Sir John Falstaff.

Falstaff, played with exuberant pomposity by Jeffrey Ouellette, attempts to remedy his financial woes by simultaneously wooing two wealthy married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, portrayed by the delightfully arch duo of Jill Gonzalez and Rosa Nguyen. His plans are quickly discovered by the women, who decide to teach him a lesson he won't soon forget. Enlisting their servants, they set him up for a series of embarrassing reversals: dumped in the Thames, forced to flee disguised as a woman, terrorized by fake spirits.

Ford's jealous husband, played with gusto by Jared Nobrega, adds another delightful comedic layer as he goads Falstaff on in disguise. The rest of the cast is outstanding, including fine comic turns by Chris Maxwell as the stuffy parson, Abigail Licht as Page's coquettish daughter, an extremely versatile Aidan Costa in several roles, Terry Simpson as a genial uncle, and Winfield Swanson, who delivers a French physician in a straight-up Monty Python turn. This is a solid ensemble who are clearly having enormous fun, and it's contagious.

Alper's direction is crisp and the comic timing is strong, with all of Shakespeare's language thoroughly digested and smoothly spooled out; even the Elizabethan double entendres land effectively, no small feat with the Bard's wordplay. As the program notes, the setting is "1597/1975," and Alper squeezes additional comedic effect from this anagram, with costumes and musical interludes that reference the era: Falstaff in a tie-dye shirt is a delight, and the final dance sequence...well, without spoilers, it's just spot on.

The outdoor patio at the Contemporary is a perfect place to enjoy the show, surrounded by trees, tiki torches, and the murmur of foot traffic along the river. If you need to cool off, there's an air-conditioned lobby (where you can get a variety of drinks at the bar).

"Merry Wives" is a delightful little gem of a show, and this production provides an ideal setting to enjoy it the way Shakespeare intended: up close, ground level, and perhaps with a cool adult beverage on a warm summer night. It's big fun.

"The Merry Wives of Windsor," directed by Michael Alper, at the Contemporary Theater Company, Wednesdays and Sundays, July 19-August 13, 7pm. On the performance patio at 327 Main Street, Wakefield. Tickets $10-$30, available from the box office (401) 218-0282, or online at https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=165389. More info: https://www.contemporarytheatercompany.com/season

Photo credit: Seth Jacobson Photography.

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