Falstaff Turned Into Music Hall Villain

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30630, 22 December 1964, Page 13

Falstaff Turned Into Music Hall Villain

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, Dec. 17. As a contribution to London's Christmas theatrical fare, the Royal Shakespeare Company last night presented a new production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” on the lines of the Victorian music hall. For the purpose, this farcical comedy said to have been written at the request of Queen Elizabeth, who wanted to see more of the character, Sir John Falstaff, was staged at the Aldwych Theatre with sets and costumes by the French designer, Andre Francois, and incidental music by the

Australian composer, Maicolm Williamson. The director is John Blatchley. Fantastic Elizabethan clothes of pink, purple and citrus yellow, set off with • black and white mobile ■ scenery, were gay to watch and the music was particu- • larly apt and witty. ; The streamlining of the : text was probably an advani tage but all the staging pro- ; vided an extraneous fun which adds little to Shakes- ■ peare’s own comic invention. ; Nevertheless, there were some music hall farcical , touches which enhanced it ! successfully.