William Shakespeare

The Merry Wives of Windsor


Main stage
2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission.

Sir John Falstaff
Ervin Szűcs
 
Fenton
Tünde Skovrán
 
Shallow, a Country Justice
Áron Dimény
 
Slander, Cousin to Shallow
Balázs Bodolai
 
Sir Hugh Evans, a Welsh Parson
András Hatházi
 
Doctor Caius, a French Physician
Ernő Galló
 
Ford, (Brook)
Attila Orbán
 
Page
Zsolt Bogdán
 
Pistol
András Buzási
 
Nym
Alpár Fogarasi
 
Host
Ferenc Sinkó
 
Robin, page of Falstaff
Szabolcs Balla
 
Simple, Servant to Slender
Edina M. Fodor
 
Rugby, Servant to Caius
Melinda Kántor
 
Mistress Ford
Andrea Vindis
 
Mistress Page
Andrea Kali
 
Anne Page
Enikő Györgyjakab
 
Mistress Quickly
József Bíró

directed by
Attila Keresztes
 
dramaturg
Ottó A. Bodó
 
set and costume design
Bianca Imelda Jeremias
 
choreography
Ferenc Sinkó
 
fencing
Péter Habala
 
stage manager
Imola Kerezsy
 
prompter
Imola Kerezsy

Date of the opening: May 11, 2007

According to legend, Shakespeare wrote The Merry Wives of Windsor in answer to the request of the Queen, who wished to see Falstaff from Henry the IVth in an amourous role. But this Falstaff isn't at all the jeune premier: he wants to kill two birds with one stone. He tries to seduce two wives at the same time; meanwhile he is also trying to get their husbands' money from them. The women flaunt the letter he has written them, the servants whom he has kicked out reveal his plan to the husbands, and thus, in the end he becomes the target of revenge by the victims he has preyed upon.
Compared with Shakespeare's times, the scale of values today has turned almost inside out. The civic manners of our age have loosened. Purity, moralilty and love do not represent values anymore. Instead, everything is powered by appearances, money and sexuality. Those who do not conform to these rules may become victims. In comparison with everyday intrigues, Falstaff's action is nothing but a small trick.  Nevertheless, he is found out almost in seconds and the system punishes him without mercy, humiliating and shattering the knight who does not understand anything of what is happening. The play tries to develop this dramatic element, while preserving the comic strands as well.
Opening date: May 11, 2007.
Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission.