Much Ado About Falstaff

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Written by Simon Downing

Performed by Giles Shenton & Georgie Taylor

A hilarious new play about Sir John Falstaff…a rogue, a philanderer and a glutton, but also one of Shakespeare’s greatest and enduring comic creations. 

In this new comedy by Simon Downing we find Falstaff, played by Giles Shenton (Old Herbaceous & Three Men in a Boat) in his bedroom in the Boars Head being nursed by Mistress Quickly played by Georgie Taylor (What's Wrong with Benny Hill? & Fungi Friday & the Mico Heroes).

The creditors arrive demanding payment. Will Falstaff resort to marrying Mistress Quickly in order to pay off his debts? Will he turn teetotal? Will he mellow in his old age? Find out the answers to all these important questions that Shakespeare never bothered to answer and join Falstaff and Mistress Quickly for an evening of jollity, frivolity, a definite lack of coequality and more Shakespearean insults than ever previously heard on a theatrical stage!

The play originally opened in Feb 2020 with most touring dates cancelled due to Covid......but Flastaff is now ready to be unleashed upon the masses once again!

Future performances

27 Sept 2025  Cygnet Theatre, Exeter, Devon

31 Oct 2025  Sherborne Studio Theatre, Sherborne, Dorset

1 Nov 2025  Sherborne Studio Theatre, Sherborne, Dorset (afternoon)

1 Nov 2025  Sherborne Studio Theatre, Sherborne, Dorset (evening)

21 Mar 2026  Players Theatre, Thame, Oxon

Past performances

21 Feb 2020 Phoenix Theatre, Bordon, Hants 

22 Feb 2020 Phoenix Theatre, Bordon, Hants 

25 Feb 2020 South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell, Berks **SOLD OUT**

1 Mar 2020 Vera Fletcher Hall, Thames Ditton, Surrey CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

23 May 2020 Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury, Somerset  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

11 June 2020 Cryer Arts Centre, Carshalton, Surrey  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

12 June 2020 Brixham Theatre, Brixham, Devon  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

18 June 2020 Middlesbrough Theatre, Middlesbrough, N Yorks  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

2 July 2020 Moorland Garden Hotel, Yelverton, Devon  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

3 July 2020 Cotswold Playhouse, Stroud, Glos  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

4 July 2020 Miserden Estate, Gloucestershire

15 July 2020 Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, Wales  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

17 July 2020 Caerau Gardens, Bala, N Wales  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

26 July 2020 Sussex Prairie Gardens, Henfield, West Sussex  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

1 Aug 2020 RHS Harlow Carr, Harrogate, Yorks  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

6 Aug 2020 Denmans Gardens, East Sussex  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

7 Aug 2020 Avon Mill, Kingsbridge, Devon  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

8 Aug 2020 Avon Mill, Kingsbridge, Devon  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

9 Aug 2020 Burrow Farm Gardens, nr Axminster, Devon CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

15 Aug 2020 Trebah Gardens Amphitheatre, Cornwall  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

22 Aug 2020 Leith Hill Place, Dorking, Surrey  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

30 Aug 2020 Wield & Downland Open Air Museum, Sussex

23 Sept 2020 Brighton Open Air Theatre, East Sussex 

15 Oct 2020 Manor Pavilion Theatre, Sidmouth, Devon  CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

16 Oct 2020 Cygnet Theatre, Exeter, Devon CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

2 May 2025 Ilmington Village Hall, Ilmington, Warks

3 May 2025 Ilmington Village Hall, Ilmington, Warks

9 May 2025  Cotswold Playhouse, Stroud, Glos

16 May 2025  Southwold Arts Centre, Southwold, Suffolk

22 May 2025  Middlesbrough Theatre, Middlesbrough, North Yorks

29 May 2025  The Place, Bedford

7 June 2025  Tysoe Village Hall

12 June 2025  Corn Hall, Diss, Suffolk

19 June 2025  Petersfield Museum, Petersfield, Hants

21 June 2025  Burton Dassett Village Hall, Warks

9 July 2025  Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford, Staffs

10 July 2025  Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford, Staffs

24 July 2025  The Astor Theatre, Deal, Kent

25 July 2025  Barn Theatre, Oxted, Surrey

2 Aug 2025  Brixham Theatre, Brixham, Devon