“Love is a great master. It teaches us to be what we never were.”
The School for Wives
By Moliere translated by Miles Malleson
Parisian rich man, Siegneur Arnolphe, has no intention of having a wife who will succumb to the prevailing vice of infidelity, so he has adopted Agnes, an orphan, and arranged for her to be raised in a convent.
She has now reached the age of 18 and he plans to marry her. He has installed her in a house away from the city, where he is known as La Souche. Agnes is charming, obedient and innocent. Unfortunately, her virtues are Arnolphes greatest danger, for when, from her balcony, she sees a young man bowing to her, she knows no better than to curtsey to him. The young man is Horace, whose father is an old friend of Arnolphes. To succeed in his plan Arnolphe must keep Agnes and Horace apart, whilst keeping his double identity secret from Horace.
The scene is set; will Arnolphe succeed in his endeavour or will his scheme unravel and his desperation reduce him to a laughing stock which he so carefully planned to avoid?
The School for Wives is a theatrical comedy written by the seventeenth century French playwright Molire. It was first staged at the Palais Royal theatre on 26 December 1662 for the brother of the King. Miles Mallesons adaptation draws every moment of comic farce from Molieres original.
The show is Directed by Dawn Allen and you can find out more about the show and what drove Dawn to choose this work on THE PLACE BACKSTAGE blog by clicking here.
The cast:
Arnolphe: Chris Loft
Chrysalde: Bill Lay
Alain: Gareth Frow
Georgette: Holly Parker
Agnes: Bethany Webb
Horace: Tim Bedford
Oronte: Richard Duncombe
Enrique: Paul Frecknall
Prices
Full Price – £12.00
Concession – £10
Preview – £7.50 (Tuesday evening performance only)
Dates
15th – 19th May 2018 at 7:30pm
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Venue
The Place Theatre
Bradgate Road
Bedford. MK40 3DE
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