WATCH THE FULL PLAY –
In this scene, Martine, Sganarelle’s wife comes down to enquire what her husband is doing with Célie, the young neighbour she saw holding in his arms. She’s complaining on how husbands soon are looking around for younger lovers. On her way home, she finds the locket Célie dropped when she fainted, inside his Célie young lover’s picture, he looks ravishing and handsome. Sgnanarelle coming back home sees his wife admiring a young man in a locket… What’s going on here?
Molière’s one-act farcical comedy, Sganarelle, Or The Imaginary Cuckold, The play was accompanied by live baroque music and was followed by a wine and cheese reception during which the audiences had to opportunity to personally meet the actors and musicians.
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Time travel back to the 17th Century…
“A Night in Versailles”
A ludicrous one-act comedy by Molière, France’s quintessential comedic playwright.
Accompanied by live baroque music!
“Sganarelle, or the imaginary Cuckold”
translated by Albert Bermel
Music from 17th & 18th century France,
performed on original instruments.
The Playwright –
Molière
Molière (January 15, 1622 – February 17, 1673) is to the French as Shakespeare is to the English. He is considered one of the greatest masters of comedy inWestern literature.Among Molière’s best-known works are Le Misanthrope, (The Misanthrope), L’Ecole des Femmes (The School for Wives),Tartuffe ou l’Imposteur, (Tartuffe or the Hypocrite), L’Avare ou l’École du mensonge (The Miser), Le Malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid), and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (The Bourgeois Gentleman).
He probably began his career as a street performer and experienced both success and failure throughout his career. He created theatrical events and set up stages wherever an audience might be assembled (and who might patronize his company!) However, the court of Louis XIV gave him an unlimited creative opportunity, and he responded by creating the astonishing theatrical works for which he is now famous.
The Play –
“Sganarelle, or the imaginary Cuckold” co-directed by Jay Lewyn & Michel Duran
Gorgibus wants his daughter, Célie, to marry a rich man,Valère, instead of Lélie, whom she loves. Célie, lamenting this turn of events while her beloved is away, faints. Her maid catches her and calls out for help.
Sganarelle, who happens to be passing, runs over to hold Célie while her maid runs for aid. Sganarelle’s wife, however, sees him holding Célie and suspects the worst. She finds a portrait of Lelie, dropped by Célie when she fainted, and admires his good looks. Sganarelle returns and sees his wife gazing at the portrait, and he too suspects an affair.They argue and run off just as Lelie arrives home, after hearing rumors of Célie’s wedding plans.
Sganarelle enters again, holding the portrait, and Lelie is shocked. He asks Sganarelle how he came to have the portrait, and Sganarelle replies that he took it from his wife. Sganarelle’s wife comes back and finds Lélie now ready to faint, so she invites him into their home to rest. Sganarelle, of course, then sees Lelie with his wife, and his suspicions are confirmed. But Celie also sees Lélie leaving the house, and approaches Sganarelle, who tells her that Lélie has cuckolded him with his wife.
TAP – Artistic collaborators (by alphabetical order)
Leslie Chang – Art director, producer.
Fred Goldstein – Making of – Promo shoots.
Heather Evans – Set decorator.
Michael Jarvis – Music director.
Jay Lewyn – Play co-director.
Brenda Ma – Set decorator
Cristina Menz – Assistant set designer.
Pascal Provost – Light designer.
Emmanuel Saint Juste – Artistic advisor.
Christine Shaw – Set decorator
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Matthew Szczecinski – Set builder and decorator.
TAP – The ensemble (by alphabetical order)
Lia Como – Lisette.
Jocelyn Connelly – Célie.
Michel Duran – Sganarelle.
Lawrence Green – Gros René,Villebrequin.
Jay Lewyn – Gorgibus, Dorante.
Cristina Menz – Martine.
Nathanael Vass – Lélie.
Special thanks (by alphabetical order)
Greg Brown – Chris Gilbertson – Jason Johnson – Chloé Marchand – Errol Richardson
Our grateful thanks to our sponsors and donors:
Sponsors: Academie Duello – Bombardier – Sophia Books
Donors: Baguette et échalotte – Consulat Général de France – Urban Fare