The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford – upon Avon, Warwickshire and a stopover at the Hotel du Vin Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

I was recently back in Stratford Upon Avon to watch a performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor, one of the Bard of Avon’s thirty-nine plays, staying at the fashionable Hotel du Vin on Rother street, just a short walk from the spectacular Royal Shakespeare Theatre on Waterside. The best of Stratford-upon-Avon cannot be fully appreciated in a day, so I had decided to stop over at the Hotel du Vin, after the theatre, in one of their luxury rooms.

Located within a beautifully restored 18th-century townhouse, the Hotel du Vin is the ideal location from which to explore the many attractions of Stratford-upon-Avon. Part of the original building was built in 1798, much of its character and charm has been retained during its transformation.

The building has had many different guises over the years, from a doctor’s surgery during and after World War Two, a gentleman’s social club, and the town’s registry office before opening as a Hotel in 2018. The hotel chain was founded in Winchester in 1994 by Gerard Basset and Robin Hutson, who had both previously worked at Chewton Glen hotel where Basset was the head sommelier and Hutson the managing director. The name “Hotel du Vin” was a reference to Basset’s wine expertise.

There are 46 individually styled rooms and suites in the hotel. My deluxe room, Domaine Laroche, all of the rooms at Hotel du Vin are named after wines and vineyards, was very spacious, with a superb king-sized bed wrapped in fine Egyptian cotton bed linen and a simply wonderful, large soft duvet. The bed was luxurious with a handsprung soft mattress which moulded itself to the shape of my body! The soft duck down pillows were simply incredible, giving my wife & I an incredible night’s sleep.

My room included several offer much appreciated features including a gorgeous roll-top bath, a powerful monsoon walk-in shower, flat screen plasma television, air conditioning, bathrobe & slippers, desk & chair, a really comfortable chaise longue, another wide settee, Nespresso coffee machine and the usual assorted teas and free, fast wi-fi.

The hotel features a French bistro and bar, with home-style French cooking & robust earthy dishes. very much the focus of its menu. al fresco dining is available in a stunning landscaped courtyard and there are two private dining rooms and events spaces that can accommodate up to 70 guests. The bistro has an extensive wine cellar & even more impressive wine wall, with up to 400 wines available, from some of the world’s top producers.

For many people visiting Stratford – upon Avon, it is England’s national poet, that draws in the annual 3 million tourists a year. It is here in this beautiful Warwickshire market town that you can visit the great man’s birthplace, the church in which he is buried, watch one of his plays at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, take part in a lesson at the actual school he attended and visit many other buildings associated with the man widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s most outstanding dramatist. But Stratford Upon Avon is not just about Shakespeare, it is a market town with more than 800 years of history offering a wide variety of leisure activities, ancient buildings, entertainment & shopping experiences in and around the town.

The outer parts of a town, where there are houses, but no large shops, places of work, or places of entertainment

One of William Shakespeare’s early comedies, The Merry Wives of Windsor is believed to have been published in 1602, written in 1597 at the request of Queen Elizabeth I. After watching Henry IV Part I, she allegedly asked Shakespeare to write a play depicting the character Sir John Falstaff, in love!

“Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.”
William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor

The plot follows, one of Shakespeare’s most famous characters, the irrepressible Sir John Falstaff (John Hodgkinson), who in trying to ease his financial problems, attempts to seduce two married women in order to gain access to their husbands’ wealth. However, the smart wives, Mistress Ford (Siubhan Harrison) and Mistress Page (Samantha Spiro), both actors making their RSC debut season, outwit the hugely entertaining Falstaff with slapstick and playful pranks.

Samantha Spiro as Mistress Meg Page & Siubhan Harrison as Mistress Alice Ford

The wives soon discover that Falstaff has sent them both the same letter and plan to play tricks on him and seek retribution by fooling him when he turns up at the house of Miss Ford. The scene leading up to, during and beyond Falstaff throwing himself into a large clothes basket, then describing being thrown into the river Thames, was very amusing. His unkempt appearance was priceless. The audience lapped it up! With the help of their husbands and friends, the two women decide to play one last trick in the woods, including the cast disguised as scary fairies. The play explores the subjects of love & jealousy & the weaknesses of human nature. I loved the topical references to the current Euro football tournament taking place in Germany, some of the ensemble also had the audience singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ at the start of the second period. Great fun!

“O powerful love, that in some respects makes a beast a man, in some other, a man a beast.”
William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor

John Hodgkinson as Sir John Falstaff

The set was particularly effective, several suburban houses & a convincing pub façade, ‘The Garter’, showing Pie TV, appeared on a revolving stage and a trap door set in the middle of the stage raised & lowered actors central stage. Characters rode onto and across the stage on bicycles and the set changes were swift. It was the first time I had attended a captioned performance. I didn’t find it distracting all, in fact I looked up often to read what the actors had said. I found it useful, despite having no hearing issues.

Samantha Spiro as Mistress Meg Page

The Merry Wives of Windsor is a modern-day romantic comedy, try and forget the fact it was written four hundred and twenty seven years ago, much of its content could be found in a British soap today. It is full of slapstick and at times bawdy humour &  great wit with flashes of belly aching comedy. It was a wonderful evening’s entertainment at the theatre and isn’t that what we go to the theatre for? There was a much deserved standing ovation at the finale.

Patrick Walshe McBride as Slender & Tara Tiani as Anne Page

When visiting the Royal Shakespeare Theatre to watch a play I would fully recommend a stopover with pre- theatre Dinner & after show bedroom at the Hotel du Vin, just a short walk from the theatre.

The Merry Wives of Windsor, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford – upon Avon, Warwickshire Until 7th September 2024

Running time: 2 hrs 50 mins (including a 20 mins interval)

Hotel du Vin, 7-8 Rother St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6LU