ENERATIONTHEATRE
the miser (L'AVARE)
by Molière
Translated and directed by David Valayre
February 15, 16, 17, 22, 23 & 24 at 7:30 p.m.
February 18 & 25 at 2:30 p.m.
The Southside Theater
Fort Mason Center
San Francisco
winter 2018
Click to hear the French text of Act 1, Scene 3 of The Miser, directed by Charles Dullin in 1922, and recorded by him on 78 rpm.
Molière was 46 years old in 1668, when he premiered The Miser in the part of Harpagon. At that time, he was favored by King Louis XIV, who had made him director of the "Troupe du Roi" and was supporting him financially. However, Molière was still waging war against powerful elements in French society. He was still fighting the religious groups which, for the past four years, had lobbied to suppress Tartuffe. He was also under attack and the subject of vitriolic criticism of his private life, following the outcry against another controversial play of his, The School for Wives. When The Miser opened, at Théâtre du Palais-Royal, on September 9, 1668, the audience was lukewarm, to say the least. The run ended after the ninth performance.
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin aka Molière
CAST & CREW
I am losing my mind. I don't know where I am, who I am, what I'm doing! Oh God! My dear money! My dear, dear money! My Friend! I miss you so much! I lost you! You were my strength, my joy, my fortitude. Without you, the world is empty and no place for me. Without you, my life has no meaning. I am done for, consumed, dying, dead, buried. Is there anyone around to revive me by returning my dear money to me, or by telling me who took it? What? What did you say? No one's here. Whoever did that must have chosen his time carefully, just when I was talking to my son. I must go. What I need is the law. Questioning, with a little torture here and there, for the whole household: the maids, the lads, son, daughter, myself if necessary!
Translation & Direction
R. David Valayre
With
Abhishek Das as Valère
Cameron Dodd as Cleante
Fabien Ferhani as La Flèche
Joyce Domanico-Huh as Elise
Deborah Murphy as Mariane
Jeanette Sarmiento as Frosine
Karen Sellinger as Mistress Jacqueline
R. David Valayre as Harpagon
Ket Watters as Anselm
Set
Charles Keen
Lights
Katrina van Winkle
Sound
Jonathan Loo
Production Consultant,
Costume Design & Makeup
Vishalini Mona Vimal
Costumes
Anita Wadera
Assistant to the Director
Alan Badger
A GenerationTheatre Presentation