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Mistanthrope II

Molière's masterpiece mistranslated by

Paddy Gormley

Read by awl on Monday 31st March 2008

Alceste’s love for flighty, flirtatious Célimène is at odds with his lofty ideals and his hatred of “the hypocrisy that haunts the human race”. In Molière’s masterpiece, Céliméne’s unfaithfulness is cruelly exposed, and Alceste withdraws to a loveless life of myopic misanthropy.

Paddy Gormley’s mistranslation follows Molière’s action scene for scene and speech for speech, but with one important difference: Alceste’s friend Philinte is not content with the role that Molière intends for him, which is to illuminate Alceste’s misanthropy for us. Gormley’s Philinte is intent on changing Alceste’s behaviour for the better. Alceste defends his position forcefully, using lavish language, thick with assonance and alliteration. Philinte, realising that the war cannot be won with words alone, must resort to “skulduggery” that is “tantamount to thuggery”.
Alceste
 Peter Sutton
Philinte, Alceste's friend
Robert Blackwood
Oronte, in love with Célimène
Mike Goodenough
Célimène, Alceste's lover
Lizzy Pattinson
Éliante, Célimène's cousin
Maggie Stride
Arsinoé, Célimène's friend
Julie Bevan
Acaste, marquis
James Price
Clitandre, marquis
Lewis Rae
Basque, Célimène's valet
Lee Peck
Du Bois, Alceste's valet
Lee Peck
Assitant Director
Stephanie Connell
Directed by
Martin Cort

 

  

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