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The world's their oyster: 14th Annual New Mexico Shakespeare Festival to perform 'The Tempest,' 'The Merry Wives of Windsor'
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Shipwrecked with sorcery and magic, 鈥淭he Tempest鈥 conveys the message that to forgive and be forgiven is the greatest freedom on earth.
Shakespeare鈥檚 original dramedy, the play opens the 14th Annual New Mexico Shakespeare Festival on Friday, June 7, at the New Mexico Veterans鈥 Memorial. The comedy 鈥淭he Merry Wives of Windsor鈥 follows on Saturday, June 8. The free performances will alternate on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through July 6. Two additional locations have been added: Old Town Plaza on June 13 and 20 and at Winrock Town Center Park on June 27.
Twelve years before the action of 鈥淭he Tempest,鈥 Prospero, formerly the Duke of Milan and a gifted sorcerer, had been usurped by his treacherous brother Antonio with the aid of Alonso, King of Naples. Escaping by boat with his infant daughter Miranda, Prospero flees to a remote island where he has been living ever since, using his magic to force the island鈥檚 only inhabitant, the monstrous Caliban, to protect him and Miranda.
鈥淚鈥檝e been fascinated by this play for a long time,鈥 said director Paul Ford. 鈥淚鈥檝e been doing Shakespeare for 40 years. 鈥楾he Tempest鈥 was sort of the culmination of my understanding of who Shakespeare was as a man. (The play) is a mature reflection on a life well-lived and how it鈥檚 lived.鈥
When a ship carrying his brother Antonio and the King of Naples passes nearby, Prospero conjures up a storm with help from his sprite Ariel and the ship is destroyed. The shipwrecked Antonio and his entourage wash up on the island. Eventually, the king鈥檚 son and Prospero鈥檚 daughter fall in love.
(Prospero) 鈥済athers them all together at the end and reveals himself,鈥 Ford said. 鈥淎nd he forgives them. He gives back his magic to return to life.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 a journey away from grievance, away from resentment,鈥 Ford said. 鈥淥nly in releasing these resentments do we free ourselves.鈥
In 鈥淭he Merry Wives of Windsor,鈥 the women fool that scoundrel Falstaff.
Director Micah Linford is placing the play in the 1920s, the time of the suffragettes and the flappers.
鈥淲hat really appeals to me is the women are so much smarter than the men,鈥 he said.
Falstaff decides to fix his financial woes by seducing the wives of two wealthy merchants. The wives find he sent them identical letters and take revenge by playing tricks on Falstaff when he comes calling. With the help of their husbands and friends, the ladies play one last trick in the woods to put Falstaff鈥檚 mischief to an end.
鈥淭his is definitely one of the comedies,鈥 Linford said. 鈥淭his is what we might think of as a modern sitcom.
鈥淲e try to find some (redemption) for Falstaff,鈥 he continued. 鈥淗e鈥檚 definitely after the women. They all know exactly what鈥檚 going on from the start. The men think they鈥檙e in control. And it鈥檚 really fun to watch in the end that they really have no idea what鈥檚 going on.鈥
Tradition has it that 鈥淭he Merry Wives of Windsor鈥 was written at the request of Queen Elizabeth I. After watching 鈥淗enry IV, Part I鈥 she asked Shakespeare to write a play showing Falstaff in love.
This marks Linford鈥檚 first time directing at the festival. His acting credits include 鈥淛ulius Caesar,鈥 鈥淎 Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream,鈥 鈥淩omeo and Juliet,鈥 鈥淭he Taming of the Shrew,鈥 鈥淭he Merchant of Venice,鈥 鈥淩ichard III鈥 and more.
Ford was a long-time acting professor at the University of New Mexico who has directed 鈥淏lythe Spirit,鈥 鈥淢an of La Mancha鈥 and 鈥淎 Streetcar Named Desire.鈥
