Shakespeare’s plays have been performed
in so many countries and in so many languages, it’s hard to imagine what one might do next with them.
But if anybody could figure that out it would be the Public Theater, and more specifically Shakespeare in the Park.
This summer, before a theater/starved, fully vaccinated New York audience (yes you had to show proof of vaccination), “Merry Wives of Windsor” was performed. And if you wanted “different,” you came to the right place.
The plot was fairly faithful to the original Shakespeare with a few modifications. Falstaff (Brandin E. Burton), an aging, paunchy character, was the Lothario who desired to sleep with two happily married women, Madame Cord (Susan Kalechi Watson) and Madame Page (Pascale Armand). The ladies get wind of his intentions and devise various schemes to put him in his place. Meanwhile, there is a subplot involving the betrothal of Madam Page’s daughter Ann Page (Abena). To clarify, Ann Page has nothing to do with the private brands once sold exclusively at the A&P supermarket.
The difference in this production is the setting: a neighborhood corner in Harlem. And the cast is mostly composed of African immigrants (played by a mostly African cast) who live in the ‘hood and who deliver their dialogue in various African-sounding accents, the authenticity of which I cannot attest to.
The last 10 minutes of the production do the Public proud. Ingenious costuming and dazzling lovely choreography set the play ablaze.
As for the first 140 minutes: um…your reaction to this interpretation will depend on your tolerance for extremely broad direction, slapstick, jokes that don’t land, and often impenetrable accents. I regret to say this was not my cup of African tea, and from the reaction of a broad section of the audience, who sat mostly in stony-faced silence during the production, it was not theirs either.
However, three cheers to the Public for trying something new and long may free theater wave in 212!