Venue: Augustines
This is an amalgam of two of the Canterbury Tales, the Millers Tale and the Wife Of Bath’s Tale, which are joined together and given a special ending. The Millers Tale concerns an old miller who takes a young wife, and then invites a handsome lodger to stay. Of course the two young people plot as to how to keep the miller out of the way while they cuckold him. Their plans involve convincing him there will be a great flood and they should all take shelter in barrels in the rafters. Of course this is the moment of action, but when they are found out it drives the miller mad. The Wife of Bath’s Tale is told by the (aforesaid miller’s) wife and the five husbands she has outlasted. She tells the tale of an Arthurian knight who, after ravishing a young maiden, is ordered to either find what it is that all women desire or forfeit his life. When he is given the correct answer at the last moment by an old crone, he is forced to marry her but when he becomes repentant at her entreaties, finds out that she is actually a witch who can appear a ravishing beauty if she so desires. So as long as she’s the boss, all is fine. The show comes to an end after the miller tries to fool his wife (by disguising himself as a friar) into believing they didn’t properly divorce before she married her current man. He is found out in the end and the show concludes with a big chase finale.
There are a few liberties in this show, but it for much of the time, the original text is used, except when they break into pop songs for a couple of jokes. There are also some very bad puns in this show. The cast do an admirable job, with the knight being tall and handsome (and, of course, a complete cad as he also plays the part of the cuckolding lodger), and the principle ladies are comely and buxom. This is a show that should entertain most people and especially those who enjoy seeing some of the classical literature getting an airing.
For booking details go to The Canterbury Tales