When Community Meets Comedy

^{Jacob Ming-Trent in Merry Wives at Shakespeare Theatre Company. Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography.}

Last Friday, I witnessed something magical happen in a theater. An entire audience jumped to their feet in spontaneous, thunderous applause. Not the polite, obligatory standing ovation that often closes shows, but the real thing: pure, uncontainable joy erupting from people who had just experienced something extraordinary.

That something was Shakespeare Theatre Company’s brilliant production of Merry Wives.

Jocelyn Bioh’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor sets this domestic comedy in modern day Harlem, centered around the neighborhood laundromat. Suddenly, Shakespeare’s 400-year-old tale of clever wives, bumbling suitors, and one roguish Falstaff feels fresh and immediate.

_{Jacob Ming-Trent, Felicia Curry, and Oneika Phillips The cast of Merry Wives.}

_{Photos by Teresa Castracane Photography}

The laundromat becomes the beating heart of community life where everyone knows everyone else’s business, schemes are hatched over folding clothes, and the famous laundry basket scenes take on brilliant new meaning. This is the kind of creative adaptation that makes us think, “Of course! Most every Shakespeare play has a duel – this play is no exception. However, the weapons are a golf club and a baseball bat! What a great place for drama to ‘unfold’!”

This production soars in how perfectly Shakespeare’s celebration of community wisdom translates to Harlem. The Merry Wives – played by Oneika Phillips as Madam Page and Felicia Curry as Madam Ford – are not simple individual characters pulling pranks. They are part of a vibrant neighborhood that looks out for each other, celebrates together, and collectively deals with troublemakers like Falstaff. They provide the wisdom and cunning for the others.

^{From L- R : (all PC: Teresa Castracane Photography}: ^{Felicia Curry, Jordan Barbour, Nick Rashad Burroughs, Sekou Laidlow, and JaBen Early; Felicia Curry, Jacob Ming-Trent, and Oneika Phillips; Jacob Ming-Trent and Kelli Blackwell}

Ah, Falstaff! He is a pivotal character in four of Shakespeare’s plays – Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Henry V, and The Merry Wives of Windsor. The role is a theatrical tightrope walk – he must be funny enough to carry comedy, charming enough to appreciate his schemes, and ridiculous enough to root for the wives to outwit him. When Falstaff works, everything works, and in this production, he works. In the Harlem laundromat setting, he becomes the beloved neighborhood character that everyone knows and tolerates despite his nonsense – probably holding court, spinning tales, completely convinced that he is irresistible to these smart women who are already three steps ahead of him. The knowing eye-rolls and exasperated gestures reveal their collective tolerance. They see through his schemes while enjoying the entertainment that he provides.

The physical comedy works brilliantly in the setting. When the audience delights in Falstaff’s schemes throughout the evening, his final downfall creates the perfect comic climax sending everyone to their feet cheering. The result is comedy that feels both timeless and completely of-the-moment. Shakespeare’s brilliant character dynamics unfold, as a love letter to community strength, female friendship, and the kind of neighborhood solidarity that makes cities feel like home. One audience member shared that she found the natural energy, wisdom, and strength of the “wives” enveloping.

^{Oneika Phillips and Felicia Curry (All Photos by Teresa Castracane Photography) The cast of Merry Wives}

Streaming services or movies cannot produce the electric moments when an entire audience realizes they are experiencing something special together. When Oneika Phillips delivers a particularly brilliant line, when the ensemble moves in perfect comic synchronization, when the costumes and music and performances align to create theatrical dexterity. This is a joint experience of the audience. The costume design tells its own story – the rich colors and fabrics suggest social hierarchy within this Harlem community, while those amazing shoes worn by both Madams Page and Quickly signal their status and confidence. Every visual choice reinforces character relationships.

The shared experience, the collective intake of breath, and bursts of laughter, make live theater irreplaceable. Last Friday’s standing ovation went beyond appreciation for a good performance. It was a roomful of people celebrating the joy of being surprised, delighted, and moved together in one space at one moment in time.

This production does what great theaters do – taking the familiar and showing aspects never before noticed. Shakespeare’s genius for human psychology emerges through how naturally his insights translate across centuries and cultures. Communities have always been strengthened by clever women who refuse to let pretentious men get away with nonsense. The affected speech patterns – characters moving between Shakespeare’s elevated language and natural vernacular – create layers of authenticity that honor both the original text and the Harlem setting.

Shakespeare Theatre Company has created a production that honors the original text while making it accessible and relevant to the 21st Century audiences. The performance sparkles, the design choices are inspired, and the production feels like a celebration.

Go see this show. Go for the love of Shakespeare or for the fear of Shakespeare. Go because of the curiosity of Harlem’s cultural richness or simply for the desire to discover it. The experience is worth the effort. Some experiences only happen when we are all in the same room, witnessing brilliance together. Go enjoy the creative sets and gorgeous costumes – and of course, the acting.

The Details

Merry Wives is currently running at Shakespeare Theatre Company. Check their website for tickets and showtimes. Do not wait too long. This production closes on October 5. Tickets sell out quickly.