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The Miser
By Jean Baptiste Moliere
Translation & Adaptation by James Magruder
Directed by Mark E. Lococco
At Northlight Theatre
9501 N. Skokie Blvd
Skokie, IL
Call 847-673-6300, tickets $35 - $55
Tuesdays at 7:30 pm
Wednesdays at 1 & 7:30 pm
Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 2:30 & 8 pm
Sundays at 2:30 & 7 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 10 minutes with intermission
Through November 11, 2007
Hip, smart Moliere comedy, The Miser, delivers laughs
Norhtlight Theatre specializes in offering fresh productions of classics and their The Miser (under Mark E. Lococo’s energetic direction) is another essential gem. This show is a hoot! The Miser has commedia dell’Arte elements together with a contemporary translation with a very French set (designed by Tim Morrison) dressed in 17th Century lush costumes (by Rachel Anne Healy). The show features an “A” list of Chicago actors as adapt with comedy as they are with classics.
The daring Moliere defied the status of 17th Century France with his farces that outrageously (and courageously) satirized religion, high society, law and the stereotypes like the dashing prince, the penny-pincher and hypocritical intellectuals. In The Miser, Moliere takes shots at the cheap aristocrats whose only life purpose was the accumulation of money. Moliere’s characters are flawed and absurd allowing for rich comedic situations.
We meet the widower Harpagon—The Miser (Gene Weygandt in a tour de force hilarious performance) whose love of money rules his life. He wants to get his son and daughter married off to cut his expenses and he also want to remarry into money, of course. His frugality drives his son, Cleante (Lea Coco) and his daughter, Elise, (Kate Fry at her devilish best) to scheme to steal his fortune. We see a plot filled with forbidden love, buried treasures and smart complications that render numerous laughs. This comedy highlights several terrific comic characters: La Fleche (Dieterich Gray in a funny turn) the rubber-legged servant; Maitre Jacques (Bob Fairbanks); M. Simon and others (Patrick Clear) and the fabulous Jacqueline Williams as the scheming Frosine. Timothy Edward Kane, as Valere added a nice blend of comedy as the aristocrat while Erica Peregrine was cute as Mariane. Moliere was a master of putting his quirky characters in funny situations.
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Director Mark E. Lococo blends witty and biting dialogue with wild physical comedy sprinkled with asides and direct audience involvement to produce a wonderfully bright, fresh and manic comedy. Moliere would appreciate this valiant effort.
Gene Weygandt commands the stage with his energetic performance as the crusty Miser. Weygandt has the eloquence, physicality, deft comedic timing and stage instincts (with several hilarious ad-libs) to make The Miser a most memorable character. Terrific work here by Weygandt.
The Miser proves that classics can be a treat for modern audiences. Just people these shows with talent and allow them the freedom to expand their characters to exude all the laughs contained. Moliere has material worthy of these performers. I laughed a lot and thoroughly enjoyed this excellent show.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2007
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