May 22, 2008
Moliere’s ‘The Misanthrope’ next up for School of Drama
The UW School of Drama presents The Misanthrope from May 25 to June 8 in the Penthouse Theatre.
Written in the 17th century by French playwright Moliere, The Mithanthrope depicts a time and place where appearances were everything. Its hero, Aleceste, raves about the corruption of French aristocratic society, identifies hypocrisy as one of mankind’s worst flaws and insists that truth and honesty — no matter how painful — are essential to true integrity. However, Alceste’s determination to reject society and its supposed dishonesty is countered by his desire to share a life with Célimène, whose actions oppose all that he stands for.
When Alceste criticizes Célimène for entertaining too many suitors, she insists that her flirtation is harmless and that her true affections lie with him. But her motives are called into question when a letter written by Célimène professing her attraction to another suitor surfaces. In the events that follow, the search for the proper balance of integrity and compromise unfold in this quick-witted comedy. Described as one of Molière’s “most intelligent” plays, The Misanthrope argues for the importance of both tolerance and truth in society.
Molière was born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin in Paris in 1622. The French playwright and actor is considered one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature. Although he studied law and was awarded his law degree in 1642, he turned away from both the legal profession and his father’s prosperous upholstery business. Instead he incorporated an acting troupe, the Illustre Theatre. Molière left behind a body of work which not only changed the face of French classical comedy, but has gone on to influence the work of other dramatists the world over.
“More than 300 years after Molière first penned The Misanthrope, we are still captivated by this gregarious Frenchman’s outrageous comedic vision of society and social absurdities,” said the play’s director, Andrew Tsao. “Indeed, every generation and every culture owns Molière, for his darkly humorous stories and unforgettable characters make us laugh, cry and ponder the pitfalls of ruthless truth telling at all costs. Alceste, the man who can no longer live in a world where gossip, subterfuge and gamesmanship rule the salons of Paris, reminds us that we are all a part of a timeless human comedy.”
Tickets for previews of the play are $8; all other performances are $15 ($12 for seniors and $10 for students). They are available at the UW Arts Ticket Office, 4001 University Way NE, 206-543-4880 or online at http://depts.washington.edu/uwdrama.
