After escaping from the clutches of The River Thames Falstaff has retreated to his safe space: The Christ Church Oxford University bar. His ego is bruised and feeling like the victim of a cruel plot Falstaff laments the wickedness of the world. However, he soon cheers up with the help of his good old friend: wine. Mistress Quickly reappears and persuades Falstaff that Alice was in fact innocent in the unfortunate incident at Ford’s house. She states that to prove that Alice still loves him, she has proposed instead a new rendezvous that night in the University Parks. In a letter that Quickly gives to Falstaff, Alice asks for Falstaff to appear at midnight, dressed as a Huntsman. He agrees and Quickly takes Falstaff off to help him get ready for the upcoming tete-a-tete.
Ford, Nannetta, Meg and Alice then prepare the second part of their plot: Nannetta will be Queen of the Fairies and the others, also in disguise, will help to continue Falstaff’s punishment. As everybody else departs Ford stays behind to form a promise to Dr. Caius that he will marry Nannetta that very evening. However, Mistress Quickly overhears them and swears that she will not let this happen.
As Fenton and Nannetta are reunited, Alice explains her plan to trick Ford into marrying them. They all hide as Falstaff approaches. On the stroke of midnight, Alice appears. She declares her love for Falstaff, yet when he grows increasingly physically amorous (again) she runs away, saying that she hears spirits approaching. Nannetta, disguised as the Queen of the Fairies, summons her followers (friends who think the evening is all one great party and have dressed up and joined her in the park) who attack the terrified Falstaff, pinching and poking him until he promises to give up his deceptive ways. In the midst of the assault Falstaff recognizes Bardolfo, and realizes that he has been tricked into believing these humans are spirits. Whilst Ford explains that he was “Brook” all along, Quickly also scolds Falstaff for his attempts at seducing two younger, virtuous women. Falstaff accepts that he has been made a figure of fun, but also draws attention to the fact that he remains the real source of wit in others, and that no one is really all that innocent here.
Ford then moves the evening on towards the final event of the evening, which is the supposed wedding of Nannetta and Dr Caius. Dr Caius approaches with a figure dressed in white. They are to be married by Ford. Alice brings forward another couple too, who also receive Ford’s blessing. When the brides remove their veils it is revealed that Ford ha just married Fenton to Nannetta, and Dr. Ciaus to Bardolfo.
With everyone now laughing at his expense, Ford has no choice but to forgive the lovers and bless their marriage. The entire company agree that the whole world may be nothing but a jest filled with jesters, but he who laughs last, laughs best, and come together collectively to celebrate all the comedy of tricks that they have shared over the course of the evening.