An Audience with Sir John Falstaff
Written by Frank Bramwell
ABOUT THE PLAY
Falstaff's never-before-revealed true-life story!
Falstaff regales us with his true-life story - and his never before revealed relationship with William Shakespeare. The fat knight himself, in the flesh, is here to answer the questions that audiences have long sought to ask!
Falstaff is here to tell us the real truth about his life as one of Literature's biggest characters, also his fractured relationship with his one-time mucker William Shakespeare. As well as regaling the audience with anecdotes and larger-than-life stories, he has, at last, a chance to tell it all, from his point of view. Quotes from Shakespeare’s plays are used, as well as Falstaff’s very own words.
Both the comic and tragic sides to Falstaff’s life are laid bare before the public, in the course of which we get to understand something about how Shakespeare’s possibly greatest character became a literary giant.
Premiered in Bristol Shakespeare Festival, Buxton Festival Fringe and Birmingham Fest in 2018
Cast and creative team
Cast
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Sir John Falstaff: Michael Harris
Creative team:
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Director: Frank Bramwell
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Producer: Frank Bramwell
Production photos
Reviews
“Falstaff is a wonderful character and it was great to spend time in his company.”
Birmingham Fest
“Good conceit of Shakespeare’s treatment of his characters.”
Birmingham Fest
“Michael’s performance was very good. I enjoyed the conceit behind the play i.e. the character challenging the author about the way he has been portrayed.”
Birmingham Fest
“Michael Harris is a very believable Falstaff as he performs some of the more famous speeches as well as impromptu ranting against the bard himself, Prince Hal and the unfairness of life including broken promises that he would reappear in Henry V. I especially enjoyed the recreation of Shakespearean language and the inventive insults in the style of the bard.”
Birmingham Fest
“What would it be like if a literary/stage character could step off the page and take issue with the author for the way he is portrayed, as Falstaff does here?”
Birmingham Fest
“What an extraordinary feat it is for an actor to achieve a one-man performance like that.”
Birmingham Fest
“I really enjoyed the performance and I am so glad I came."
Birmingham Fest