Sir David McVicar’s Falstaff has captivated audiences with five sell-out performances, receiving rave reviews from critics. The production has taken place as part of Live at No.40 – a series of live, outdoor events at our Edington Street Car park in Glasgow, in partnership with The Citizens Theatre and Scottish Ensemble.
World renowned Scottish director Sir David McVicar designs and directs Verdi’s Falstaff, ambitiously transforming our car park for this stunning production of the comic opera. Featuring an outstanding cast, including Roland Wood (La bohème 2020), Elizabeth Llewellyn (La bohème 2020), Phillip Rhodes (Hansel and Gretel 2021), Elgan Llŷr Thomas (Breaking the Waves 2019), Gemma Summerfield (The Magic Flute 2018), Louise Winter (In the Locked Room 2012), Sioned Gwen Davies (The Diary of One Who Disappeared 2020), Jamie MacDougall (Ariadne auf Naxos 2018), Aled Hall (Tosca 2019) and Alastair Miles (Pelléas and Mélisande 2017).
The Herald praises the production with a five-star review, calling it a ‘triumph’ in what was a ‘deeply thoughtful and highly literate Falstaff’. The Telegraph also gave five stars, noting it as 'a joyous, hilarious and luxurious.' While the Guardian says the production ‘shines’ and The Times comments that the new staging ‘boasts comic juice and strong voices.’
The cast was also highly commended, with the Spectator describing Roland Wood’s ‘this magisterial Falstaff is the best you will see this summer’. While Mark Brown gives a five-star review in the National saying ‘This superb cast, led in the title role by the fabulous Roland Wood, gives us a high octane rendering of the opera with all the colour and rumbustious humour Verdi intended.’
We are delighted that not only was the production warmly received, but also our efforts to return to live performance safely, with the Scotsman’s Brian Fergusson saying ‘The ingenious pop-up theatre will lay the crucial groundwork for other companies, events and venues in starting the long road back to reuniting audiences and performers.’
Falstaff transfers to Festival Theatre, Edinburgh as part of Edinburgh International Festival from 8 - 14 August. You can find out more about the production, including the online programme and our photo gallery here.
Herald ★★★★★
Telegraph ★★★★★
National ★★★★★
Scotsman ★★★★★
Guardian ★★★★
Times ★★★★
The Stage ★★★★
Falstaff is kindly supported by The Falstaff Appeal Donors and Dunard Fund. Click here to find out more about how you can support future productions like this.