Reviewed
by Judy Richter
At first glance, using puppets as extensively as director Sean Daniels does in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" seems gimmicky. However, the program for the opening production of California Shakespeare Theater's 2006 season points out that the Puritans considered puppetry a low art form, not theater. Therefore, when they closed London's theaters in 1642, puppets were the only way that William Shakespeare's plays could be performed legally. Hence, the CST production may be seen as right in keeping with early Shakespearean tradition. Nevertheless, it take some getting used to, which happens as the play progresses.
All
but four of the characters are shown as puppets. The exceptions are Mistress
Page (Catherine Castellanos), Mistress Ford (Delia MacDougall), Master Ford (Anthony Fusco) and Master Page (Liam
Vincent). The
play flows much more smoothly when these four are involved. Their handsome
costumes, designed by Lydia Tanjii, are inspired by the 16th century period in which the
play was written.
Lead
puppet designer Jon Ludwig and his colleagues, Chris Brown and Jason Hines, use a variety of puppet types
and sizes for the other characters. Their designs tend toward the cartoonish,
an approach amplified by Dave Malloy's music and sound design, which seems to come straight
from a B-movie -- a winning concept. Likewise, Scott Bradley's simple set has some
cartoon-like qualities.Lighting is by Russell H. Champa.
The
puppets usually are carried and manipulated by the actors who speak the characters'
lines and who are clad all in black, including the veils over their faces. The
major exception is Falstaff, played by Ron Campbell. The fat, lecherous knight is
represented by a puppet that's nearly 9 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Campbell
works this puppet from the inside, not showing anything of himself until the
curtain call. Sometimes others help manipulate the various puppets, including
Falstaff.
Campbell's
melodic voice adds depth to Falstaff. Castellanos and MacDougall have fun as
the two wives work up schemes to thwart Falstaff, who has tried to woo them
both. Fusco's Ford goes into spasms of jealousy, while Vincent's Page is much
calmer. Lorna Howley struts along with her Mistress Quickly puppet in abetting the schemes
of whoever pays her. Max Moore does double duty as Slender and Fenton, both suitors to
Anne Page. She's played by Geoff Uterhardt, who also portrays Hugh Evans and Rugby.
Likewise, Danny Scheie shifts between Pitsol, Falstaff's cohort, and Dr. Caius, the French
doctor who's the third suitor to Anne Page. Spencer Stephens takes on the roles of Justice
Shallow, Simple and Robin, while Juliet Strong completes the cast as Robert.
Once
the audience and actors get settled into how the play works, it works well,
aided in large measure by the actors' skill, along with Daniels' clever
direction.
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