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Posted on Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 7:53 a.m.

Shakespeare in the Arb aims to have some fun with 'The Merry Wives of Windsor'

By Jenn McKee

merrywives.jpg

Jeanne Leverich, Martin Walsh and Maria Thomas star in "The Merry Wives of Windsor."

Photo by Jonathan White

Let it not be said that Kate Mendeloff isn’t willing to go the extra mile for her annual Shakespeare in the Arb production.

For this year’s outdoor show, “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” Mendeloff needed to find a buck basket (for laundry) in which Falstaff could hide and be carried away to a nearby river.

“At one point, over at Pier 1, I saw a hamper that was high up (on a shelf),” said Mendeloff. “I asked an employee to take it down for me, and then asked if I could crawl into it. The salesperson was like, ‘OK.’ Martin (Walsh, a U-M professor who plays Falstaff) went over there, too, and he crawled into it. But eventually we found something that fits better and is much stronger. I just had a vision of this (Pier 1 hamper) breaking. But with ‘Merry Wives,’ when you’ve got your buck basket and your Falstaff, you’re in good shape.”

At Queen Elizabeth I’s request, Shakespeare wrote “Merry Wives” with Falstaff at its center—though “Merry Wives” is set in the time in which it was written, while Falstaff’s appearances in the history plays place the character in the 15th century; plus, “Merry Wives”’ version of Falstaff is far less complex than the one featured in the Henry plays.

“(‘Merry Wives’) has gotten a bad reputation because Shakespeare wrote it for Elizabeth in a big hurry, and … people think he didn’t have his heart in it,” said Mendeloff. “It’s not one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays, but it’s very charming, and you certainly get a sense of Shakespeare’s characters and his world.”

PREVIEW

”Merry Wives of Windsor”

  • Who: Shakespeare in the Arb.
  • What: Annual outdoor Shakespeare production directed by Kate Mendeloff. “Merry Wives” focuses on Falstaff, who pursues dalliances with two married women for financial gain - but the ladies have the last laugh.
  • Where: Nichols Arboretum, 1600 Washington Heights.
  • When: Performances start at 6:30 p.m., with the box office opening at 5:30 p.m. Show dates are Thursday, June 7-10, 14-17, 21-24.
  • How much: $20 (students, and children and youth ages 5-17, $10; seniors $17; children under 5 free). 734-647-7600.
In the play, Falstaff propositions two wealthy married women—the Mistress Page and the Mistress Ford—in hopes of extorting them for money, and Mistress Page’s daughter, Ann, wishes to marry the man she loves rather than the man who parents wish her to marry. Love wins in the end, of course, and the targets of Falstaff’s plot have the last laugh.

“One of the great reasons to do this play is that the women are strong and really in control of the action of the play, and that’s just fun,” said Mendeloff. “As a female director, it’s such a pleasure to have the women in charge. … Women are always strong in Shakespeare, but they often have to go through negative circumstances, but in ‘Merry Wives,’ they’re pretty much on top all the way through.”

This is Mendeloff’s 12th Arb production—which features U-M students and faculty, as well as members of the community, in the cast—but it’s the first time she’s staged “Merry Wives” there.

“Many of the scenes happen in interior spaces, in houses, so adjusting that to the outdoors has been a challenge, but we’re being creative about it,” said Mendeloff. “The whole thing happens on the prairie. … I wanted the audience to have a strong sense of the community of Windsor, so things aren’t very far away from each other, but they’re distinct locations. This is different from other productions I’ve done. We don’t make long treks from world to world, but rather, it’s more like a neighborhood - we go over to Mistress Page’s house, we go to the inn, we go to Mistress Ford’s house—so it’s hopefully going to be a different feeling.”

Mendeloff was drawn to “Merry Wives” in part because, after experiencing the sturm and drang of “The Winter’s Tale” last year, she wanted to work with a completely different kind of show.

“’Wives’ still has jealousy, but it’s not quite as grim,” said Mendeloff.

And as past patrons know, Mendeloff likes to give audiences a complete sensory experience, despite the occasional jogger, dog-walker, or train that inevitably happens by.

“When the audience comes the down hill, they’ll see things like a woman washing clothes in the river,” Mendeloff said. “ … It’s a working town, so there’s lots going on. One thing I love so much is creating the reality of this world 360 degrees around you. So there’s not just this thing you’re watching in the scene, but you’re aware that you’re still in that world anywhere you look. And that’s what’s exciting.”

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.

Comments

Bear

Sun, Jun 3, 2012 : 12:44 a.m.

pay to go to the arb? right...

Lovaduck

Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 7:42 p.m.

Sounds delightful, but I'm told the stuff about Queen Elizabeth requesting to see Falstaff in love, etc. is pure "George Washington and the cherry tree" type legend. See Garry Wills recent book VERDI AND SHAKESPEARE, MEN OF THE THEATER.

Dee_AA

Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 1:18 p.m.

Where do people generally park?

glewe

Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 4:36 p.m.

I should clarify that the MM/SPH lot is free all the time on weekends.

glewe

Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 4:32 p.m.

The Mary Markley/School of Public Health parking lot becomes free at 5PM. Otherwise, there are nearby parking structures on E. Medical Drive, or a bit farther, on S. Forest. There is another parking lot off of E. Medical that will be used but I'm uncertain when it becomes available. Some street parking is available at Mary Markley meters and outside the Arb, as well as down Observatory. But the best bet is the Mark Markley lot.

Will Warner

Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 12:47 p.m.

I've always enjoyed these productions in the Arb. Keep 'em coming. Perhaps in time we'll see "The Complete Works of Shakespeare, Arb-ridged."