I missed another-blog-day because I had another full day at Stratford; The Hypochondriac aka Le Malade Imaginaire by Molière (1622-1673). By my count it’s the fourth time in Stratford’s history that this play was produced. I think I saw two of the previous three but there were many things I don’t remember plus many things that weren’t in the other shows because of the new adaptation by British playwright (and one-time stand-up comedian), Richard Bean, perhaps known to National Theatre Tv-screen viewers for One Man, Two Guvners. I enjoyed lots of things, including delightful staged romps by, according to the program, “Members of La Troupe de Molière”, 15 performers plus a juggler (Doug DeForrest), choreographed by Stephen Cora, the entire charming production directed by Antoni Cimolino.

Molière called his later plays comédies-ballets as they involved actors and dancers in performances that were integral or at least related to the plots. (Louis XIV liked musicals.) So what we were treated to was not a departure from tradition but Stratford’s own extravagant spin. I was surprised by the ending of the show, not in the original script (I reread it) but not unprecedented, and not original to Richard Bean. John Wood (b. 1900, haven’t found his death date) translated many of Moliere’s plays and he added a credible if dramatically tragic conclusion to The Hypochondriac, used by Richard Bean. It’s not a huge reach. Molière suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis and was very ill. He gave a realistic portrayal of Argan, the imaginary invalid, and, in fact, collapsed in the fourth show and died shortly thereafter. So- it’s a spoiler if you haven’t guessed the realistic conclusion of the play. It’s well handled at Stratford and takes nothing away from the feel-good enjoyment of the production. I had a lovely afternoon.

But I’m still tired so that’s all I’m going to say about that. I’m a blogger not a reviewer. Oh, but I should mention Brigit Wilson who plays Toinette, the in-your-face maidservant who mocks Argan. She is charming, brash, daring and funny and earned her stand-up ovation every bit as much as Stephen Ouimette (Argan). She also happens to be Antoni Cimolino’s wife. Cheers.

Now to bed.

Ibsen got tagged as a feminist when Nora (A Doll’s House) shut that door with a resonance that was heard around the world. Well, I guess my and subsequent generations cast him as a feminist. It wasn’t so clear to his contemporaries. I’ll show you a couple of lines from John Gabriel Borkman, which I’ve been thinking about.

In the first one, Borkman speaks to the woman he loved and left for one more helpful to his career: "You must remember that I am a man. As a woman, you were the dearest thing in the world to me. But if the worst comes to the worst, one woman can always take the place of another."

The audience groaned at that one. I have a feeling that they attributed Borkman’s opinion to Ibsen himself and not to the character he created.

lHere’s another one, Borkman speaking again, to his friend, Foldal:

Borkman. Oh, these women! They wreck and ruin life for us! Play the devil with our whole destiny--our triumphal progress.

FOLDAL. Not all of them!

BORKMAN. Indeed? Can you tell me of a single one that is good for anything?"

FOLDAL. No, that is the trouble. The few that I know are good for nothing.

BORKMAN. [With a snort of scorn.] Well then, what is the good of it? What is the good of such women existing--if you never know them?

FOLDAL. [Warmly.] Yes, John Gabriel, there is good in it, I assure you. It is such a blessed, beneficial thought that here or there in the world, somewhere, far away--the true woman exists after all.

BORKMAN. [Moving impatiently on the sofa.] Oh, do spare me that poetical nonsense.

The audience responded even more noisily to those comments. Just think about it, though, first, how far we’ve come, that we (they) react so unfavourably to those male chauvinist sentiments. After that, go through Borkman back to the person who wrote his lines. Ibsen knew what he was saying. He just had to wait for the world to catch up to him. I quoted from a script provided on Google, public domain of course. I noticed, when I looked up the plays and their chronology that An Enemy of the People is billed as a comedy. Right on, though many people, including actors, directors and critics, think it is a serious drama. it is serious, but its intent is to change thinking, not to reinforce old habits and attitudes. Dr. Stockman’s assessment of his struggle is pragmatic and rueful:

"You should never wear your best trousers when you go out to fight for freedom and truth."