Sir John Falstaff is familiar to Shakespeare's audience from the history plays.  He's a well fed knight with a scheming mind and a puffed up ego. Motivated by greed, Falstaff plots to seduce Mistress Ford and Mistress Page.

Fenton is a young gentleman in love with Anne Page, who eventually wins her heart.

Shallow is a country justice, who has been wronged by Sir John Falstaff. He convinces Slender, his nephew, to court Anne Page.

Abraham Slender, Shallow's kinsman, who becomes one of Anne Page's suitors. He is preposterous when he tries to appear romantic.

Frank Ford, husband to Mistress Ford.  He believes his wife is carrying on with Falstaff.  In order to spy on her he disguises himself as Master Brook.

George Page, husband to Mistress Page; father of Anne Page. Unlike Ford, trusts his wife completely. He refuses the penniless Fenton as a suitor and wants his daughter to marry Slender.

Doctor Caius is yet another suitor of Anne Page. This French doctor uses English marked by foreign words.

Mistress Quickly is Dr. Caius' servant who is continuously called upon to pass secret messages between all the other characters; also has a tendency to humorously mangle the English language.

Anne Page is the beautiful daughter of the Page's desired by all the single men around her. She proves as smart and independent as her mother, for she defies both her parents and chooses her own husband.

Mistress Ford, Ford's wife, is profoundly offended by Falstaff's lettered invitation to rendezvous and vows to teach him a well-deserved lesson.

Mistress Page, Anne's mother, also receives a letter from Falstaff and aids Mistress Ford in her plan to trick him.

The Host owns the Garter Inn. A willing conspirator and confidant for all the inhabitants of Windsor. 

Bardolph, Pistol, and Nym are Falstaff's men. They show their true colors when they refuse to help Falstaff dupe Mistress Ford and Mistress Page.

Robin is Falstaff's page, who helps out whenever possible.

Simple is Slender's servant, who often serves as a messenger.

Rugby is Doctor Caius' manservant. His devotion to the Doctor is extreme.

Director's Notes by Jesse Berger

"Comedy and Class in The Merry Wives of Windsor" by Robert Henke

The Merry Wives of Windsor, written mostly in prose, follows the scheming exploits of Sir John Falstaff, a knight of the court. He is seeking mischief and money in Windsor, a typical middle-class community of Elizabethan England. Sir John finds his match and is held hilariously accountable by two smart townswomen, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford. The play opens as Justice Shallow, a respected Windsor community figure, complains to his friends about injuries received at the hands of Falstaff. Falstaff is interrogated, but assumes no guilt, giving the audience a clear picture of his character from the very first scene.

Anne, the beautiful and rich daughter of Page and Mistress Page (and the center of the play's major sub-plot), is being courted by many. Slender, one of her suitors, has been nudged by his Uncle Shallow into courting Anne. Young Fenton declares his intention with willing abandon, and the ridiculous Doctor Caius also fancies and pursues her. The owner of the Garter Inn fools the suitors into a duel for her hand and when they realize they have been duped, plans are made to take revenge on the host. Falstaff falsely assumes Mistress Page and Mistress Ford fancy him and egotistically decides he will seduce them both. He tells Robin, his page, to deliver messages to each inviting them both to rendezvous with him. Both are indignant at his overt propositions and immediately plan to expose Falstaff and render him a fool. Mistress Quickly, Dr. Caius' servant, agrees to serve as messenger for them.

Meanwhile, Falstaff's cronies Nym and Pistol inform the husbands Page and Ford of Falstaff's intentions to pursue their wives. Ford becomes exceptionally jealous and angry. Page wisely shows complete trust in his wife. In disguise as Master Brook, the hot-tempered Ford tracks down Falstaff, who does not recognize him. Falstaff boasts about his plans for Mistress Ford. Now Ford is even more mad and suspicious of his wife.

Falstaff meets with Mistress Ford, and to avoid being discovered by her husband is hidden in a basket of filthy laundry and dumped into a muddy river. During their second meeting, again interrupted by Ford, he is disguised offstage as an old woman whom Ford gives a sound beating. Diligent Falstaff agrees to meet Mistress Ford a third time, but now, both husbands have been let in on the plan. Ford, ashamed of his suspiciousness and foolish assumptions about his wife, enthusiastically agrees to help humiliate Falstaff.

The final meeting is set in the forest, and Mistress Page has instructed Dr. Caius, her choice for Anne's husband, to take away her daughter, who will be dressed in green. Page has instructed Slender, his choice for Anne's husband, to take her away and adds that she will be wearing white. Anne, however, has no intention of going with either Caius or Slender. She is in love with Fenton and they have made their own plans.

In the final forest scene, Falstaff is made to dress up as Herne the Hunter, a character from local folklore, and townspeople are disguised as fairies. The fairies attack Falstaff, torturing and tormenting him with their tapers until he confesses his naughty character. Slender, seizing his opportunity, whisks away a fairy in green. Dr. Caius takes a fairy in white. In the meantime, Anne and Fenton accept the Host's help and are married by the vicar.

The play ends with the Fords and Pages revealing themselves to the much chagrined Falstaff, who is forgiven by all. Slender and Dr. Caius reappear, both furious, and both dragging boys instead of Anne! Fenton and Anne appear, married and happy, and the Pages happily accept their new son-in-law. All go off to celebrate, including the unsuccessful knight.