The Stage

Merry Wives the Musical

Published Friday 15 December 2006 at 11:20 by Peta David

Bursting on to the stage in a whirl of singing maids and country bumpkins, the opening number borrows more than a little from Lionel Bart’s Oliver! and subsequently much more from other great musical classics. In a true parody of itself you are either going to love or hate it.

Nothing is sacred. Every opportunity is taken to draw out a laugh which is achieved with the help of some fantastic lyrics created by Ranjit Bolt and some really hammy acting. Gregory Doran has taken his star studded cast to new heights (and depths) with a musical feast that will leaving you wondering what on earth you have just seen.

Doran creates colourful new dimensions to his characters, particularly Mistress Quickly, played by the inimitable Judi Dench, by reminding everyone that Falstaff played by Simon Callow reneged on a previous proposal of marriage. Some great singing and some not so great singing - Dench and Callow can just about deliver a song in tune but the real singers including Alistair McGowan are Haydn Gwynne, Alexandra Gilbreath, Scarlett Strallen and new to the RSC Martin Crewes who is the lovely Fenton.

But the show really belongs to the minor roles that overflow with comic detail, double act Paul Chahidi and Ian Hughes are truly hilarious as Dr Caius and Sir Hugh Evans respectively, they could have their own show. Also Simon Trinder as Abraham Slender takes campness to a whole new level as he desperately tries to avoid nuptials with Anne Page.