The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

THE indomitable spirit of Castle Players was not found wanting when the heavens opened on Wednesday night and despite a few minutes of darkness when the power went out, the players heroically played on with a little help from the audiences’ mobile phone lights.

A farce to be reckoned with, The Merry Wives of Windsor sports a larger-than-life Falstaff, a man on a mission to bed Windsor’s wives. Gordon Duffy-McGhie added extra humour to the rounded rascal providing a real raunchy performance with impeccable timing.

Mary Stastny, making her debut as director for the players, kept the pace going well with a few neat ideas and some careful direction. Andrew Stainthorpe as the cuckolded husband, Frank Ford, grasped his duel role as Mr Brook with the panache of a professional. Trudy Dixon’s confident Mistress Quickly, the gaudy go-between, handled her erections, sorry directions, with great gusto.

Ian Kirkbride gave Robert Shallow the suitable arrogance of a braggart judge and there was a great little cameo role from Jack Parker as the romancing Fenton. Other notable performances came from Sean Mitchell as Abraham Slender, Aidan Tyler as Peter Simple and Jill Cole as the ebullient Mistress Page.

I loved the little red omnibus, donated by Dave Sowerby, and the lighting beneath a full moon at the end of the play is a surprise worth waiting for.

Sets and costumes from Simon Pell and Lesley Cutting were well above standard as we have come to expect with another fine production from the players.

* Runs until Saturday, July 11. Limited Tickets available Friday and Saturday: 07748-708-619

Helen Brown