Much Ado About Falstaff

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Corn Hall Diss - by David Vass

Giles Shenton was surely born to play Falstaff even if, as he begrudgingly admitted, the RSC wasn’t interested. Just one of countless asides that may or may not be ad-libbed in Simon Downing’s tribute to one of Shakespeare’s finest comic creations. 

If you ever wondered what happened to Sir John after Hal rejected him, then wonder no more. He may be down on his luck, but he’s as unrepentant as ever, living in East Cheap with Mistress Quickly, who he promises to marry. Quickly is more than a match for Falstaff, weary of his flatulent excesses yet still sweetly, if inexplicably, in love with him. Georgie Taylor brings a grounded reality to Falstaff’s other half-to-be, investing the character with a touching humanity sorely lacking in Sir John. The two of them verbally joust in a two hander that both respectfully honours Shakespeare’s creation, yet isn’t afraid to poke fun at the theatrical conventions of the day.

Loosely framed around the conceit that Falstaff in being pursued by off stage debtors the play is really an excuse to explore the comic possibilities of a character brought back to life from the Elizabethan era.  So while the play worked well as a standalone piece of theatre, there’s no denying that greater riches were buried in the text for anyone more familiar with Falstaff’s fall from grace in the two parts of Henry IV. The underlying tragedy of a man left behind as Hal put away childish things bubbles away throughout, so that – notwithstanding the nods given to the broader canon – this was ultimately a play about resilience in the face of rejection.

There was an overarching sense that great care and attention to detail was taken throughout the play. As we’ve come to expect from a GSP production, the stage was handsomely dressed, while sound design was economic yet effective. Both actors seemed entirely confident in their roles. Despite the comedic possibilities of Taylor causing havoc with a slapstick or Shenton pulling down his drawers, it was during their rare intimate moments that the authenticity of the characters’ relationship shone through.

Brighton Source

A chilly September evening is warmed and cheered by Much Ado About Falstaff, an extra chapter of an already roguish tale and a peek at the goings-on upstairs at The Boar’s Head, Eastcheap.

Unsurprisingly Falstaff is in trouble again, meeting hard times with his customary lack of responsibility and choosing instead to seek solace in ale and good company. Now, with creditors hammering at the door, he must rely upon the steadfast (if occasionally muddled) Mistress Quickly to save him from ruin.

Giles Shenton effortlessly embodies all that audiences have come to know and love of Sir John Falstaff. He commands the stage with epic, rousing speech peppered with asides that win the audience within the opening moments. Opposite him is Suzanna Walters, a fantastic Mistress Quickly. As frequently foul-mouthed and jocular as the knight himself she still yet manages to anchor him to reality and stop him wandering off into his own manufactured legacy.

There is a merry war betwixt the two that is waged throughout the show, showering the action with wit, smut and an entire arsenal of entendre. It is here that Simon Downing’s writing truly excels. His mastery of the language is indisputable and used to great effect, less an act of imitation and more a faithful homage to that bardic comic relief we look for in the comedies and long for in the tragedies. Quickly’s loose grasp of the English language often wrongfoots a Falstaff more accustomed to spilling forth a Trumpian spew of undigested thoughts and forming the crux of his arguments from the parts that sounded prettiest. Throughout the play there is no subject matter out of bounds and no level not to be stooped to – from friars to flatulence, soliloquies to sexual health and even the occasional jibe aimed at Shakespeare himself for good measure.

There are some more tender moments, particularly in the second half, and their scarcity renders them all the more poignant. A glimpse behind the mirth reveals a solemn figure reminiscing over days of long-gone glory and good times with old friends. Falstaff now languishes in his attempts to live up to his own legend, all the while his health is failing him. However, the sheer hope that Quickly manages to instil in both of them – of a new life and one more adventure now to be shared – is truly touching, especially with Quickly having so long watched her own aspirations pulled apart by the whims of those around her.

But for the most part, Much Ado About Falstaff is an evening of silliness that revels in its humour and wit, be it bardic wordplay or fart jokes. “More Shakespearean insults than ever previously heard on a theatrical stage” is undoubtedly correct and these often find themselves met with the sharp clap of a slapstick. This latest show is a dose of good, unclean fun that embodies the spirit of the Fat Knight himself. To be enjoyed by Shakespeare lovers and haters alike it is more than worthy of its place in the canon.

Brighton Open Air Theatre, Wednesday 23rd September 2020