I was very excited when I spotted a National Theatre production of Moliere's The Misanthrope streaming at Fellinis in Ambleside. I booked tickets a few months ago and forgot all about it. Then we noticed those words which strike fear into the heart of a traditional theatre-goer: "re-imagined"!
However, we needn't have worried, Martin Crimp's production was fabulous. It wasn't Moliere, but I think he would have loved it. I certainly loved that the dialogue was in rhyming couplets. I'm not totally sure but I think the lines followed the Alexandrine form of Moliere, who used this strict rhyming structure to drive comedic timing, sharpen satirical punchlines, and make rapid-fire dialogue memorable for audiences and actors. It certainly worked in this production.
There are so many twists with this play. The Misanthrope is played by Sandra Oh, in a gender reverse role. She plays bestselling author, Alice, who rails against the modern world and all of its imperfections. To quote one review the play is "crammed full of debates about how we might live differently". It's clear that so much of our modern society is being satirised - Gen Z who bang on about their authentic selves, women who rail against misogyny, and the evils of social media.
The play is full of many of the debates of our times including female empowerment, patriarchy, digital rage, misinformation and to quote the Guardian's review "the hollow language of acceptance".
What a fabulous afternoon's entertainment, sometimes "re-imagined" can really work.