When William Shakespeare wrote “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” it was said to be at the request of Queen Elizabeth I, who loved the comic character of Sir John Falstaff in the Bard’s Henry plays so much that she wanted the rotund and hard-drinking knight to have a play all to himself.
Shakespeare responded to the queen’s request by knocking out “Merry Wives” in a matter of weeks. As a result, its script is one of the least developed in his theatrical canon. But a good actor in the Falstaff role can make up for the script’s deficits.
The new production of “Merry Wives” that opened Saturday on the Globe’s outdoor Festival stage has that actor in Tom McGowan, who brings a humanity, honesty and innate sense of humor to the role. The only problem is that the clever and eye-popping 1950s-themed production dreamed up by director James Vásquez has so much happening onstage that McGowan’s Falstaff gets a bit lost in the shuffle.
Ruibo Qian as Mrs. Page (left), Tom McGowan as Falstaff and Angela Pierce as Mrs. Ford in the Old Globe’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor.”
(Courtesy of Rich Soublet II)
In the play, Falstaff attempts to woo two married women in a clumsy bid to steal their fortunes. But when the women — and, later, their husbands — discover his plot, they arrange a pair of pranks to humiliate the overconfident knight. Vásquez said the strict gender roles in the play and slapstick nature of the plot reminded him of 1950s TV shows like “I Love Lucy.” But in place of Lucy and Ethel, this play has the two housewives Mrs. Ford (Angela Pierce, in a Lucy-style red wig) and Mrs. Page (Ruibo Qian).
The action takes place on one of the most spectacular sets ever built for the Festival stage, a rotating, two-story, three-sided encapsulation of 1950s America created by the singularly named Diggle. The set includes a mid-century modern home with retro rooster wallpaper, a coffee percolator and vintage ‘50s Felix the Cat wall clock, as well as a sleek ‘50s diner with roller-skating waitresses. Mextly Couzin designed lighting and Melanie Chen Cole designed sound.
Tidbits of TV and music history as well as pop culture references have been sprinkled into the script, including James Dean, Fonzie from “Happy Days,” pizza, banana splits and the hilarious appearance of a corn dog. When Falstaff leaves the stage, he does it with Jackie Gleason’s signature “shuffle off” move from “The Honeymooners,” and his usual trio of male buddies are now women in Pink Ladies attire from “Grease.”
The production gives all of 22 of the actors in the cast showy roles, with a wonderful mix of period costumes designed by Lex Liang. The performances of the ensemble are all of a piece — broadly comic in the over-the-top style of “I Love Lucy.” Perhaps the best of the bunch, besides McGowan, is Jenn Harris as the ever-resourceful Mrs. Quickly.
Every summer, the Old Globe presents a Shakespeare comedy suited for all ages, and this visually stunning “Merry Wives” fits the bill. It has tons of smart comic references that older playgoers will instantly recognize, while its uncomplicated plot is easy enough for children to understand and enjoy. But if you — like Queen Liz I — were coming just for the Falstaff, he isn’t quiet the centerpiece character in this staging that he could be.
‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’
When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Through Sept. 3
Where: Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego
Tickets: $29 and up
Phone: (619) 234-5623
Online: theoldglobe.org