“Merry Wives” at Wilcox Park by the Colonial Theatre
“Merry Wives” at Wilcox Park by the Colonial Theatre brings Shakespearean mischief back outdoors in downtown Westerly with a family-friendly reading of an abridged adaptation of The Merry Wives of Windsor. Adapted by Colonial Theatre dramaturg Robert “Bob” Durwood Madison, the approximately hour-long production pares the comedy down to its scheming wives, jealous husbands, romantic complications and, of course, Sir John Falstaff.
The production is part of a theatrical tradition that has been unfolding beneath the trees of Wilcox Park since 1991. The Colonial Theatre’s summer performances have become one of Westerly’s signature cultural events, transforming the Victorian-era park into an outdoor theater where audiences spread blankets across the grass, unpack picnic dinners and watch professional theater as daylight gives way to evening. (Colonial Theatre)
For anyone intimidated by Shakespeare, this may be a particularly easy doorway in. Madison’s abridgment is designed for both longtime Shakespeare audiences and newcomers, condensing the original play into a fast-moving comedy centered on Falstaff, Mistress Quickly and the Ford and Page families.
What Is The Merry Wives of Windsor About?
At the center of Shakespeare’s comedy is one of his most memorable characters: Sir John Falstaff.
Falstaff decides he can improve his financial situation by courting two wealthy married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. There’s one rather large flaw in the plan.
He sends them essentially the same love letter.
The women discover what he’s doing and decide that Falstaff deserves a lesson. Instead of simply rejecting him, they play along, setting off an escalating series of tricks and humiliations at his expense.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ford becomes consumed by jealousy, young Anne Page has several potential husbands circling her, and various schemes collide as the story heads toward its conclusion.
The result is one of Shakespeare’s broadest comedies, filled with disguises, misunderstandings, romantic plotting and a man whose confidence repeatedly outruns his common sense.
An Abridged Version for Wilcox Park
This isn’t a full-length staging of Shakespeare’s original play.
The Wilcox Park presentation is a reading of an abridged adaptation by Bob Durwood Madison, the Colonial Theatre’s dramaturg. The shorter format retains the central characters and comic machinery while making the story more approachable for a modern outdoor audience.
That’s especially useful for families introducing children or teenagers to Shakespeare. Rather than committing to a production that can run several hours, audiences get the characters, language and comedy in roughly an hour.
The Colonial describes the adaptation as family-friendly and intended to work equally well for experienced Shakespeare fans and people encountering the play for the first time.
Shakespeare in Wilcox Park Since 1991
The Colonial Theatre staged its first Shakespeare in the Park festival in 1991.
It stuck.
More than three decades later, the Colonial calls it Rhode Island’s longest-running Shakespeare festival, and tens of thousands of people have attended performances in Wilcox Park over the years. The organization remains committed to presenting professional outdoor theater that is free or affordable and accessible to the surrounding community.
The theater itself doesn’t exist as a permanent building in the park. Each summer, the Colonial constructs a custom outdoor stage at the northern end of Wilcox Park, with the park’s natural grassy basin forming the audience area.
It’s theater without much ceremony. People arrive with folding chairs and blankets. Some come early, pick up dinner downtown and picnic before the performance.
That informality is part of what has kept the tradition going.
Watching a Show in Wilcox Park
There’s no traditional theater seating.
The Colonial says the grassy performance area can accommodate more than 10,000 people, and audience members frequently claim a spot well before performances begin. Blankets are welcome, and chairs are permitted in designated sections.
For an outdoor performance, a few simple things make the evening easier: bring a blanket or folding chair and bug spray. A picnic is also perfectly at home here.
Wilcox Park’s downtown location makes that last part easy. Restaurants and shops along Broad, High and Canal streets are within walking distance of the performance area.
Good for First-Time Shakespeare Audiences
Parents wondering whether their children will sit through Shakespeare should find this production considerably less daunting than a traditional staging.
It’s short. It’s a comedy. The story is driven by practical jokes and ridiculous behavior rather than complicated historical politics.
There will still be Shakespearean language, but the abridged format makes the plot easier to follow. Knowing the basic setup beforehand helps even more: Falstaff thinks he’s fooling two married women. The women know exactly what he’s doing and decide to fool him instead.
Once you’ve got that, much of the comedy takes care of itself.
Weather
Because the production takes place outdoors, performances are subject to weather conditions.
The Colonial Theatre posts updates and weather cancellations when poor conditions threaten a performance. Check the event information before leaving home if rain or thunderstorms are in the forecast.
Event Details
Event: “Merry Wives” at the Park
Production: A reading of an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor
Adapted By: Robert “Bob” Durwood Madison
Presented By: The Colonial Theatre of Westerly
Dates: Multiple dates
Location: Wilcox Park
Address: 44 Broad Street, Westerly, RI 02891
Format: Outdoor theatrical reading
Running Time: Approximately one hour
Recommended For: Families, adults, Shakespeare fans and newcomers to Shakespeare
Seating: Outdoor lawn seating. Bring a blanket or folding chair.
Food: Consider bringing a picnic or picking up food from one of the nearby downtown Westerly restaurants before the performance.
Weather: Outdoor performances are weather dependent. Check the Colonial Theatre’s current event information for cancellations or schedule changes.
More Information
For more information, visit the event website using the Event Website link below.
For ticket purchases, click on the Ticketing link below.
