"Seismic shifts in the theatrical meanings of The Merry Wives of Windsor have taken place across the centuries as Shakespeare's frequently performed play has relocated to Windsor's across the world, journeying along the production/ adaptation/ appropriation continuum. This (eco-)performance history of Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor not only offers the first in-depth analysis of the play in production, with a particular focus on the representation of merry women, but also utilises the comedy's forest-aware dramaturgy to explore Mistress Page's concept of being 'frugal in my mirth' in relation to sustainable theatre practices. Herne's Oak - the fictitious tree in Windsor Forest where everyone meets in the final scene of the play - is utilised to enable a maverick but ecologically based reframing of the productions of Merry Wives analysed here. This study engages with gender, physical comedy, and cultural relocations of Windsor across the world to offer new insight into Merry Wives and its theatricality"--
Seismic shifts in the theatrical meanings of The Merry Wives of Windsor have taken place across the centuries as Shakespeares frequently performed play has relocated to Windsors across the world, journeying along the production/ adaptation/ appropriation continuum.
Seismic shifts in the theatrical meanings of The Merry Wives of Windsor have taken place across the centuries as Shakespeares frequently performed play has relocated to Windsor across the world, journeying along the production/adaptation/appropriation continuum.
This (eco-)performance history of Shakespeares The Merry Wives of Windsor not only offers the first in-depth analysis of the play in production, with a particular focus on the representation of merry women, but also utilises the comedys forest-aware dramaturgy to explore Mistress Pages concept of being frugal in my mirth in relation to sustainable theatre practices. Hernes Oak the fictitious tree in Windsor Forest where everyone meets in the final scene of the play is utilised to enable a maverick but ecologically based reframing of the productions of Merry Wives analysed here.
This study engages with gender, physical comedy, and cultural relocations of Windsor across the world to offer new insight into Merry Wives and its theatricality.
1. Shakespeare and (Eco-)Performance History: The Merry Wives of Windsor
2. A Most pleasaunt and excellent conceited Comedie: Early Performances of
Merry Wives and the 1602 Quarto
3. Wives May Be Witty and Yet Honest Too
(4.2.96): Eliza Vestris and The Merry Wives of Windsor
4. The Truth Being
Known (4.4.62): Ellen Terry and The Merry Wives of Windsor, 1902
5. More of
the Quarto Than is Usual: Terry Handss Merry Wives, 1968, 1975, and 1995
6.
The Fords and the Pages Were Obviously Tory Voters: Bill Alexander RSC,
1985, and Girls Hug Rachel Kavanaugh RSC, 2002
7. Geoffrey Rushs The Merry
Wives of Windsor, Brisbane, 1987
8. All Gold and Bounty (1.3.65): Leila
Hipólitos As Alegres Comadres, 2003
9. Merriness Unbridled: Christopher
Luscombes The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Globe, 2008, 2010
10. And
nightly [ . . .] Look you sing (5.5.66): Richard Joness Falstaff,
Glyndebourne, 2009, 2013
11. Sir John Goes into the Basket: Physical Comedy
in Wanawake Wa Heri wa Winsa, Shakespeares Globe, London, 2012
12. Looking
for Hernes Oak
13. The Epilogue
Elizabeth Schafer is Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London.
