Fal­staff

Falstaff embodies all that is bad about masculinity: fat, debauched, sozzled, yet convinced of his own magnetism. The merry wives of Windsor are not just warding off his advances; they’ve also got to rescue Nanetta from being married off by her square father, Ford, to the dull killjoy Dr Cajus. Their efforts pay off. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, but no matter, as long as the right people get to tie the knot and there’s a Falstaff around to stir things up. Because a world run by the likes of Ford would be unbearable.