Thursday 17, Friday 18 & Saturday 19 March at 8:30 PM at The Black Box
CAL of Bon Voyage Nice (Tram Terminal)
Directed by: Danielle Majeur
Set design: François Guillaumet
Musical creation: Aconcha and Marc Delabie
Cast:
Agnès: Julie Collomb
Horace: Mathieu Tanguy
Alain: Raphaël Thiers
Georgette: Agnès Croutelle
The Notary: François Guillaumet or Albert Gerriet
Chrysalde: Raphaël Boyes
Arnolphe: Serge Morisso
Oronte: Raphaël Thiers
Enrique: Agnès Croutelle
The Author’s Critique:
Madam,
I am the most embarrassed man in the world when I have to dedicate a book, and I find myself so ill-suited to the style of a dedicatory epistle that I don’t know how to begin this one. Another author in my place would immediately find a hundred beautiful things to say about Your Royal Highness regarding the title of The School for Wives and the offer he would make to you. But, as for me, Madam, I confess my weakness. I do not possess the art of finding connections between things so disproportionate, and, despite the bright insights my fellow authors provide on such subjects daily, I do not see what Your Royal Highness could have to unravel with the comedy I present to you.
It is undoubtedly not difficult to know how to praise you. The subject, Madam, is all too obvious; and from any angle you are viewed, one encounters glory upon glory and qualities upon qualities. You possess them, Madam, by virtue of rank and birth, which commands respect from all the world. You possess them in the graces and spirit, both of mind and body, which inspire admiration in all who see you. You possess them in soul, which, if one may venture to speak thus, makes you beloved by all who have the honor of being close to you: I mean that charming gentleness you deign to use to temper the pride of the great titles you bear; that all-obliging kindness, that generous affability you display to everyone; and it is particularly these latter qualities to which I am inclined, and about which I feel I cannot remain silent for long. But once again, Madam, I do not know how to incorporate such dazzling truths here; in my opinion, they are matters of too vast an extent and too elevated a merit to wish to confine within an epistle and mix with trifles.
All things considered, Madam, I see nothing for me to do here but to simply dedicate my comedy to you, and to assure you, with all the respect possible, that I am, Of Your Royal Highness, Madam,
the most humble, most obedient, and most obliged servant,
J. B. Molière.
Summary:
Arnolphe is a middle-aged man who wishes to enjoy marital bliss, but he is haunted by the fear of being deceived by a woman. Thus, he has decided to marry his ward Agnès, raised in ignorance, secluded in a convent. Horace, the son of Oronte (another friend of Arnolphe), has fallen in love with Agnès; he confides in Arnolphe, unaware of his role as guardian, admitting he has courted her and mocking the latter.
Arnolphe questions Agnès to find out what happened during the meeting. He is reassured by her account, her reputation unspoiled, but decides to hasten the marriage. Agnès, believing her future husband to be Horace, expresses her gratitude to him, but the old man corrects her sternly.
Arnolphe instructs his future wife in the fundamentals of marital duties, not forgetting the terrible consequences of infidelity. Agnès seems resigned to this sad fate. Horace meets the guardian, savoring the young man’s dismay: the servants have refused him another visit, and the beauty has sent him away with a stone… to which was attached a love note. It is Arnolphe who fumes, forced to acknowledge his jealousy, and therefore his love; and he wishes to be loved in return.
A new meeting between the guardian and the suitor takes place, where the latter reveals he managed to sneak into the house, but the sudden arrival of M. de La Souche forced Agnès to hide him in a cabinet. Furthermore, he confides he has a rendezvous that evening and plans to elope with the young girl. Thus informed, Arnolphe calls his notary to draft the marriage contract and prepares to trap his rival.
The trap worked well; Horace has been beaten by the two servants and has no choice but to pretend to be unconscious. Agnès has fled and joined her lover, unwilling to return to her guardian. Horace, still unaware of the guardian’s identity, asks Arnolphe to shelter and protect the girl. The old man triumphs, but she superbly ignores his exalted speech. Enter Oronte, Horace’s father, who wishes to unite his son with the daughter of his friend Enrique, who has returned from the Americas after a long stay. Horace seeks Arnolphe’s help, who ironically reveals his identity. A dramatic twist reveals that Agnès is Enrique’s daughter; the lovers are about to unite their destinies, much to the ex-guardian’s dismay.
