DAME Judi Dench, Simon Callow and TV funnyman Alistair McGowan head a wonderful RSC adaptation of the Merry Wives of Windsor this YuleTide.
The Bard himself couldn't fail to smile as his light-hearted tale of romantic mismatches, comical cuckoldry and saucy seductions takes on a musical air in this Windsor Side Story spectacular.
Miss Dench surpasses herself as Mistress Quickly - with song, dance and blank verse delivered in the blink of an eye with the energy and enthusiasm of one half her age.
Alistair McGowan, Evesham's famous son, was another marvel.
His debut leap from the small screen to the Shakespearean stage playing jealous husband Frank Ford gave him huge comical scope, with songs and nifty dance routines.
Simon Callow, playing Falstaff, is everything you would expect from a Shakespearean heavyweight, and it must be pleasant for Dame Judi to be working with her brother Jeffrey, another veteran Shakespearean actor, who plays Robert Shallow.
Many other memorable performances, backed by superb set, lighting and costume design, all contrive to bring the best of seasonal entertainment for grown-ups.
Tickets for the show, which runs until February 10 at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, are available from the box office on 0870 609 1110.
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