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Now Playing
Moliere's LEARNED LADIES Translated by Richard Wilbur, Directed by Michael Tabib.
Performance dates: April 19 to May 17.
Moliere wrote The Learned Ladies at a time after which two of his most popular plays (Don Juan and Tartuffe) were banned for offending the nobility and the clergy respectively. Hence, he chose a subject most common to all humans, hypocrisy as expressed through pseudo-intellectualism. He also wrote it in rhyming couplets to emphasize the higher sensibilities possible for a public hungry for another good theatre experience. He hit the mark again with this play.
Clitandre seeks the hand of Henriette, a match heartily approved of by her father, Chrysale. However, his wife, Philaminte, has other plans for her younger daughter – namely marriage to Trissotin, a foppish wit who panders to Philaminte’s intellectual pretensions. Further complications are introduced by Armande, Henriette’s older sister, who once rejected Clitandre but now resents his attentions to Henriette; by Belise, Chrysale’s sister, who believes (erroneously) that all men are wildly in love with her; by Vadius, a scholar jealous of Trissotin’s hold on Philaminte. Needless to say the course of true love does not run smoothly, as the pseudo-intellectual posturings of Philaminte and her coterie clash with the struggle between Chrysale and Philaminte over who shall ordain the disposition of their daughter’s hand. But happily, and thanks to the maneuverings of Chrysale’s brother, Ariste, all is set right in the end, with hypocrisy exposed and true love made triumphant.
Richard Wilbur’s translation stands head and shoulders above all other translations for the simple fact that his language is contemporary, yet the rhymes and rhythms are all intact; the farcical content is witty; and the modern syntax is utterly engaging and comprehensible.
EASTERN STANDARD by Richard Greenberg
Directed by Buzz Bense
Performances June 21 through July 19, 2008
ART by Yasmina Reza
translation by Christopher Hampton
Directed by Nancy Hansen
Performances August 23 through September 20,2008
Auditions THIS weekend
AN EVENING WITH EDGAR ALLEN POE
Directed by Mark Gregory
Performances October 25 through November 15
TO RESERVE TICKETS visit the Box Office Page or call (707) 522-9043.
Driving Directions:
For a map and driving directions to the theater, visit our Contact Us page.
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