Review: Shakespeare Theatre Company's Merry Wives Is a Delightful Modern Reimagining

Few of the Bard’s comedies have enjoyed as varied a life on stage as The Merry Wives of Windsor, and the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Jocelyn Bioh’s Merry Wives at Harman Hall continues that tradition with a rollicking, high-energy reinvention.

Shakespeare’s beloved farce delights in the foibles of love, jealousy, and social pretension, with a tale of cunning wives and their hapless suitors. In this production, the story has been refreshed into a lavish, eclectic spectacle that feels wholly of the moment.

Setting the story in present-day Harlem was a savvy choice by adaptor Bioh, and it pays off spectacularly, capturing the vibrant energy of 116th Street and its African immigrants who inhabit the neighborhood. Bioh keeps roughly 90 percent of the original text intact, allowing Shakespeare’s wit to shine while infusing it with contemporary rhythms and cultural texture.

While Shakespeare has been reimagined in modern settings countless times, Taylor Reynolds’s direction elevates this production to one of the top of that list. She takes full advantage of the sweeping set and incorporates a rich pace (kudos to choreographer Ashleigh King’s high-octane dynamic movements!) and the action never stops.

As Falstaff, Jacob Ming-Trent—reprising a performance he originated at free Shakespeare in the Park in New York—conveys the lovable rogue to a tee, making us believe he is God’s gift to the ladies despite being the comedy of cluelessness. While he could have easily gone too-over-the-top when he has a misguided adventure with a laundry cart, Ming-Trent gets big laughs by keeping the comedy true and keeps Shakespeare’s fool in this story loveable enough that the audience is rooting for him in the end.

The merry wives, delightfully played by Felicia Curry as Madam Nkechi Ford and Oneika Phillips as Madam Ekua Page, are having so much fun in their own lives that even the subjects of their pranks can ultimately appreciate the humor, and the two actresses are a joy playing off one another.

The cast is littered with fabulous performances. Kelli Blackwell shines as Mama Quickly, the glue of the community; Nick Rashad Burroughs adds a layer of hilarious absurdity as the unjustifiably, jealous husband who disguises himself in order to sniff out Falstaff’s designs on his wife; Jordan Barbour also adds some comic relief as the self-absorbed Dr. Caius; and Peyton Rowe charms as Anne, the Pages’s daughter.

Ivania Stack’s costumes burst with color and life, perfectly reflecting the diverse cultures and personalities of the community. The outfits of the two merry wives are particularly fun.

Lawrence E. Moten III’s multilevel set transforms the stage into a living New York block, vividly capturing its essence with fire escapes, air conditioners in apartment windows, lampposts and a subway entrance. There’s also a vibrant laundromat, which becomes a stage for comedic mayhem. For the final act, Moten alters the stage into a hauntingly shadowed park, where the atmosphere is charged with anticipation. The actors then appear in traditional masks and flowing costumes, filling the space with rhythm and color and creating a visual feast.

Throughout the show, sound designer Mikaal Sulaiman envelops the theater in rich, lively music, while ensemble member Shaka Zu draws viewers into the community with infectious drumming and has some playful interactions with the audience. Ming-Trent also takes part in some fun back-and-forth with the audience by breaking the fourth wall.

By keeping the play at one act, utilizing musical interludes and dancing to transition through scenes, STC’s Merry Wives is a spirited, lavish and eclectic celebration of community, wit, and timeless humor, keeping the Bard’s play relevant and exciting for 2025.