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The Merry Wives of Windsor
by William Shakespeare


Presented by the Online Stage


First published in 1602, the Merry Wives of Windsor is generally considered to be one of Shakespeare's less successful comedies.


The central themes are love - in various guises - and jealousy. The most notable character is the fat and lecherous knight, Sir John Falstaff, who also plays a pivotal role in Henry IV. In this play, Falstaff is presented as a hapless buffoon, an ineffectual schemer whose plans are easily detected and manipulated by his intended victims. While the main plot deals with love corrupted by concupiscence and the jealousy associated with it, an accompanying subplot portrays a more idealistic view of love in the attachment between Anne Page and Fenton, and the stratagem they devise to avoid Anne's being married off to one of the suitors favoured by her parents.


The play is unusual in the Shakespearean canon is that it does not have a real villain. Falstaff is a man corrupted by his natural venality, rather than by a wish to commit evil for its own sake. Accordingly, his various punishments are depicted in full in the action of the play, and at the end an attitude of general reconciliation is adopted by the characters.


Shakespeare also takes the opportunity to poke fun at two of his favourite national stereotypes: the Welsh and the French.




Cast
Mistress Ford - Michele Eaton
Ford - Marty Kryz
John Rugby and John (servant) - Alan Weyman
Fenton and Robert (servant) - Ed Humpal
Mistress Page - Cate Barratt
Page - Brett Downey
Anne Page and William - Amanda Friday
Doctor Caius - Tovarisch
Mistress Quickly - Maureen Boutilier
Sir Hugh Evans - Peter Tucker
Host of the Garter Inn - Ron Altman
Sir John Falstaff - Bob Neufeld
Nym and Robin - Levi Throckmorton
Bardolph - John Burlinson
Pistol - Denis Daly
Robert Shallow - Phil Benson
Abraham Slender - Andrew Coleman
Simple - Ben Lindsey-Clark
Stage directions read by Alan Weyman


Audio edited by Denis Daly


Cover design by Denis Daly



The script for this recording was kindly provided by Folger Digital Texts.


This recording may be freely downloaded and distributed, as long as the Online Stage is credited as the author. It may not be used for commercial purposes or distributed in an edited or remixed form.


The Online Stage is collective of narrators and actors who have come together to present productions of classic dramatic works in audio format.


For further information about The Online Stage or to explore our catalogue please visit:
The Online Stage

1. Act 1 (53Mb)
2. Act 2 (51.5Mb)
3. Act 3 (59.3Mb)
4. Act 4 (45.4Mb)
5. Act 5 (29.9Mb)

MP3 files hosted by archive.org.