The Merry Wives of Windsor: The 30-Minute Shakespeare

By William Shakespeare

Planning a school or amateur Shakespeare production? The best way to experience the plays is to perform them, but getting started can be a challenge: The complete plays are too long and complex, while scene selections or simplified language are too limited.

"The 30-Minute Shakespeare" is a new series of abridgements that tell the story” of each play from start to finish while keeping the beauty of Shakespeare’s language intact. Specific stage directions and character suggestions give even inexperienced actors the tools to perform Shakespeare with confidence, understanding, and fun!

This cutting of THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR begins with one of Shakespeare's favorite fat knights, Sir John Falstaff, announcing his intention to woo both Mistress Ford and Mistress Page simultaneously, to the delight of his cohorts Bardolph, Pistol, and Nym, who then decide to double-cross Falstaff. The characters' movements on stage are clearly denoted so that even inexperienced actors can give the scenes life: Robin is nearsighted, Bardolph is a drunk who tries to juggle, and Pistol and Nym are constantly jostling for position. Other key moments include the hilarious wooing of Mistress Ford by Falstaff and the hysterical concealment of Falstaff in the laundry basket. The cutting ends in the woods with Falstaff dressed as a stag, being tormented by fairies for his comeuppance.

The edition also includes an essay by editor Nick Newlin on how to produce a Shakespeare play with novice actors, and notes about the original production of this abridgement at the Folger Shakespeare Library's annual Student Shakespeare Festival.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nicolo Whimsey Press
• Release date: Jul 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781935550174

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright the world has seen. He produced an astonishing amount of work; 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 5 poems. He died on 23rd April 1616, aged 52, and was buried in the Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.

Book preview

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Table of Contents

THE 30-MINUTE SHAKESPEARE

Title Page

Dedication

NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

SCENE 1. (ACT I, SCENE III)

NARRATOR

FALSTAFF (bangs a mug on the table)

HOST

FALSTAFF

HOST

FALSTAFF (looks despondently in his purse)

HOST (bows down to him)

HOST

FALSTAFF

BARDOLPH

PISTOL

NYM

FALSTAFF

PISTOL

FALSTAFF (laughs and elbows PISTOL, then tries to think)

PISTOL

FALSTAFF

PISTOL

FALSTAFF

PISTOL

FALSTAFF

NYM

FALSTAFF

PISTOL

NYM (leaping to his feet)

FALSTAFF (pulls out the letters with a flourish, proudly revealing the plan)

PISTOL

NYM

FALSTAFF

PISTOL (draws away indignantly)

NYM

FALSTAFF (slightly confused by this turn of events, then angry; he wants the ...

PISTOL

NYM

PISTOL

NYM

PISTOL

NYM

PISTOL

SCENE 2. (ACT III, SCENE III)

NARRATOR

MISTRESS FORD (looks under the table for the basket, which is not there; she is ...

MISTRESS PAGE (also in somewhat of a panic)

MISTRESS FORD

MISTRESS PAGE

MISTRESS PAGE

ROBIN (to pillar)

ROBIN

MISTRESS PAGE

MISTRESS FORD (to ROBIN)

MISTRESS FORD

MISTRESS PAGE (poking her head out from behind curtain)

MISTRESS FORD

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS FORD

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS FORD

FALSTAFF (rises up and crosses in front of downstage table, gesticulating and ...

MISTRESS FORD (moves to table and sits on it seductively with her legs crossed)

FALSTAFF (still on his knees, sidles up next to her, trying to get close)

MISTRESS FORD

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS FORD

FALSTAFF

ROBIN

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS FORD (acting surprised)

MISTRESS PAGE (overacting)

MISTRESS FORD

MISTRESS PAGE

MISTRESS FORD

MISTRESS PAGE

MISTRESS FORD

FALSTAFF (coming forward)

FALSTAFF (voice becomes muffled as SERVANTS cover him with dirty laundry)

MISTRESS FORD (to SERVANTS)

FORD (to his group)

SERVANT

MISTRESS FORD (a little nervous)

FORD (sniffing around angrily like a mad hound dog)

SIR HUGH EVANS

DOCTOR CAIUS

PAGE

MISTRESS PAGE (laughing with MISTRESS FORD)

MISTRESS FORD

FORD

DOCTOR CAIUS

PAGE

FORD

SIR HUGH EVANS

DOCTOR CAIUS (looking her over and agreeing)

FORD (embarrassed; takes his wife’s hand as she turns away in fake annoyance)

PAGE

SIR HUGH EVANS

DOCTOR CAIUS

SIR HUGH EVANS

SCENE 3. (ACT V, SCENE V)

NARRATOR

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS FORD

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS FORD

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS PAGE

MISTRESS FORD

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS FORD AND MISTRESS PAGE

MISTRESS QUICKLY

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS QUICKLY

SIR HUGH EVANS

FALSTAFF

PISTOL (lunging at him)

MISTRESS QUICKLY

PISTOL

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS QUICKLY

MISTRESS QUICKLY

FORD

SERVANT

DR. CAIUS

SIR HUGH EVANS

MISTRESS PAGE (taking pity and compassion on him)

FORD (takes off his mask)

MISTRESS FORD (takes off her mask)

FALSTAFF

FORD

FALSTAFF

PAGE (helps him up)

FORD

FALSTAFF

MISTRESS PAGE

PERFORMING SHAKESPEARE

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR: SET AND PROP LIST

The Merry Wives of Windsor

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

THE 30-MINUTE SHAKESPEARE

Copyright Page

THE 30-MINUTE SHAKESPEARE

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

001

"Nick Newlin’s work as a teaching artist for Folger Education during the past thirteen years has provided students, regardless of their experience with Shakespeare or being on stage, a unique opportunity to tread the boards at the Folger Theatre. Working with students to edit Shakespeare’s plays for performance at the annual Folger Shakespeare Festivals has enabled students to gain new insights into the Bard’s plays, build their skills of comprehension and critical reading, and just plain have fun working collaboratively with their peers.

Folger Education promotes performance-based teaching of Shakespeare’s plays, providing students with an interactive approach to Shakespeare’s plays in which they participate in a close reading of the text through intellectual, physical, and vocal engagement. Newlin’s The 30-Minute Shakespeare series is an invaluable resource for teachers of Shakespeare, and for all who are interested in performing the plays."

ROBERT YOUNG, PH.D.

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY

002

To Joanne

My muse

My merry wife

Special thanks to Joanne Flynn, Bill Newlin, Eliza Newlin Carney, William and Louisa Newlin, Michael Tolaydo, Hilary Kacser, Sarah Juckniess, Katherine Little, Eva Zimmerman, Julie Schaper and all of Consortium, Leo Bowman and the students, faculty, and staff at Banneker Academic High School, and Robert Young Ph.D., and the Folger Shakespeare Library, especially the wonderful Education Department.

978-1-935550-17-4 THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR: THE 30-MINUTE SHAKESPEARE

NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

I was not a big actor type in high school, so if you weren’t either, or if the young people you work with are not, then this book is for you. Whether or not