Scott Johnston hoped for a bit part, as a way for him to break back into acting, and rekindle his skills on stage.
So, he auditioned for the smaller role of Pistol, one of the servants, in the upcoming Bard in the Valley’s production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor.”
Little did the 48-year-old Fort Langley lawyer think he’d land the lead role of Sir John Falstaff, in this William Shakespeare comedy.
Asked what is the biggest similarity between himself and his character, Johnston was quick to reply just days before the show was set to begin.
“There are no differences. I am Sir John Falstaff,” he insisted.
Sure, Johnston had attended a number of Bard productions, both at Bard on the Beach and the Langley team’s productions of “Measure for Measure,” as well as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
But it wasn’t until he saw the Bard-inspired production of “Rotten in the State of Denmark” last winter that he was motivated to try out for a part with the local theatre troupe.
“[I] was inspired by the courage of the intrepid stage manager Abigail Walkner, who filled in a role on a moment’s notice and chewed the scenery with it,” Johnston told the Langley Advance Times.
This may be Johnston’s first production with Bard in the Valley (BIV), but it’s not likely his last.
He started acting in Grade 8, in Richmond.
“I had my inceptive role as a cadaver in the production of ‘Sherlock Holmes.’ The acting bug caught me then, although my first performance may have been ‘dead on arrival,’ basically, ‘flat-lined’…”
Since then, Johnston studied theatre at the University of B.C. in the early 1990s, and has enjoyed a few acting roles through the years.
For instance, he had the lead roles as Mortimer Brewster in “Arsenic and Old Lace” at the Stanley Theatre, Pseudolus in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” and as Touchstone in “As You Like It,”both at the Waterfront Theatre.
What draws the senior counsel to work in the world of law by day, then turn to the world of theatre by night/weekend?
“Acting is about seeing the world through new eyes. I am humbled if even one of my lines brings a modicum of joy or laughter to an audience member. That fills my cup,” Johnston shared.
Then asked if he was only able to perform one more role in any Shakespearean play, who would it be and in what production, and why?
He picked Iago, the villain in Shakespeare’s “Othello.”
“Mic-drop role,” Johnston said, then quoted Iago: “ “Demand me nothing: What you know, you know: From this time forth I never will speak word.”
He then suggested maybe the Bard in the Valley team should ponder “Othello” for next year’s production, noting that if he couldn’t play Iago, his second choice would be the role of Othello.
For now, Johnston and the BIV team are gearing up for the first showing of “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” where his character Falstaff arrives in the town of Windsor seeking to woo two wealthy, married women – Mistress Page and Mistress Page – with identical love letters.
The clever women, however, quickly uncover his scheme. And together they devise a series of hilarious pranks to teach him a lesson.
As Falstaff attempts to woo them, the women set up a series of humorous traps, leading to his public humiliation. Meanwhile, the subplot involves Mistress Page’s daughter, Anne, who is courted by several suitors.
Director Dylan Coulter describes it as a “delightful tale of wit, love, and retribution.”
It opens next Thursday, June 26, and offers 12 showings at Township 7 Winery – ending July 13. The cost for those showings is $35, with the exception of opening night, when tickets are $25.
Then, as usual, BIV also offers a series of free shows at Douglas Park’s Spirit Stage. Those run Thursdays through Sundays between July 18 to 27.
Tickets for the Douglas Park stage are free by donation and reservable with an option to pay for assigned seating, a padded seat and drink ticket for only $20.
“To ensure that BIV stays accessible for all, please consider giving a little extra!” Coulter said.
All shows are at 7 p.m. with gates opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are available online at bardinthevalley.com.
The volunteer-run BIV has been presenting Shakespearean productions every year since 2009, with the exception of 2020. More than 25,000 people have attended their performances, Coulter concluded.
