Unmasquing Moliére
N.U.troupe performs seventeenth-century satire
Molière did not suffer fools-or frauds-gladly. The French playwright
used biting, witty comedy to blast the pretentiousness of the so-called
learned men of his day, be they politicians, religious authorities, or
medical doctors. Northeastern audiences will get a taste of this seventeenth-century
satire in May when the Silver Masque performs Molière's The Imaginary
Invalid.
The play, which first opened in 1673, pokes fun at the medical establishment.
The central character, Argan, is a hypochondriac bent on marrying off his
daughter, Angélique, but only to a doctor who can take care of the
illness he is convinced he has. Angélique, however, wants to marry
Cléante. Throughout the play, various characters try to convince
Argan that Cléante is a worthwhile suitor for his daughter-and that
Argan does not have any real illness.
Theater professor Nancy Kindelan, who is directing the student production,
calls the play "heavily comic, very spirited, with dark undertones."
The script is rich with physical and verbal comedy-and lots of rude jokes.
"Mostly the medical profession of Molière's day did enemas
and bleeding," explains Kindelan. "And we do it in this play-quite
a bit. It's that kind of humor." On the dark side, the play deals
with some weighty themes: deception, delusion, death.
The play also jabs at doctors' propensity for using highbrow language
to discuss medical conditions-so that they sound learned-and their zealousness
when it comes to billing their patients. "Molière really disliked
the medical profession," says Kindelan. "He thought they were
taking people's money and not really helping them."
To prepare for the performance, Kindelan and her students delved into
the commedia dell'arte tradition, which strongly influenced Molière.
The tradition features stock characters that reappear in play after play.
"We've been inspired by these characters," she says. "You
can go to historical books on the commedia dell'arte and look up your character,
and it tells you how the character walked, how the character moved. You
use that as a springboard as an actor."
A theater honors student, Robin Dennis, was given the task of studying
the movement of commedia dell'arte characters. She was even dispatched
to Maryland to work with a 1995 graduate, Eric Beatty, who had studied
mime in Paris. Beatty later returned to campus to work with the cast. Another
student, Rebecca Dowd, has designed more than a dozen period costumes for
the play. The set and lighting were done by two New Yorkbased designers.
The Silver Masque's challenge is to create a performance that will be
accessible to modern audiences, says Kindelan. "The important thing
is that you bring the characters forward so they don't stay as museum pieces
in the seventeenth century, so the audience feels some connection to them."
Performances of The Imaginary Invalid will be held May 1416 and
May 2123 in Northeastern's Studio Theatre, 150 Curry Student Center,
at 8 p.m. For tickets ($10, $8 for students), call 617-373-2247.
- Karen Feldscher
CALENDAR
ART
Transparent Connections, featuring recent projects by architect Brian
Healy, through May 22, Ryder Hall Lobby. 373-2347.
In Search of the Criminal Body: Science, Myth, and Criminology in the
Nineteenth Century, a month-long exhibit presented by criminal justice
professor Nicole Rafter, through May 30, Curry Student Center gallery.
373-3362.
MUSIC
N.U. Choral Society Centennial Concert, featuring the New England Conservatory
Orchestra, May 17, Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory of Music, 7:30
p.m. Free for N.U. community. 373-2671.
N.U. Night at the Pops, June 18, Symphony Hall, 8 p.m. $9$41. Preconcert
gathering at the Varsity Club, Matthews Arena, 6 p.m. $10. 373-3186.
LECTURES
Chromosome Dynamics in Bacillus Subtilis, with Massachusetts Institute
of Technology professor Alan Grossman, May 13, 90 Snell Library, noon.
373-2260.
Origins of Knowledge, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor
Elizabeth Spelke, May 14, Raytheon Amphitheater, Egan Center, 3:30 p.m.
373-3076.
Functional Analysis of Fibronectins by Directed Mutations in Mice, with
Harvard Medical School professor Elizabeth George, May 20, 90 Snell Library,
noon. 373-2260.
Sex and the Single Chromosome: Dosage Compensation in Drosophila, with
Tufts University professor Victoria Meller, June 3, 90 Snell Library, noon.
373-2260.
FORUM
Why Should the United States Stay Engaged in Bosnia? with J. Brian Atwood,
administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development, May 14, Old South
Meeting House, 310 Washington Street, Boston, 7 p.m. 373-5800.
ETC.
Technology Expo, held in conjunction with the Massachusetts Technology
Collaborative, May 13, Curry Center Ballroom, 10 a.m.12:30 p.m. 373-4584.
Cooperative Education Awards Ceremony, May 20, Curry Center Ballroom,
4 p.m. 373-3400.
School of Law Commencement, May 22, Matthews Arena, 1 p.m.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Recertification Class, June 2, 59
p.m., 100 Columbus Place. $10. 373-2696.
African-American Baccalaureate Ceremony, June 12, African-American Institute,
69 p.m. 373-3143.
Spring Alumni Weekend, June 1821, various times and locations.
373-3186.
Commencement Ceremonies, June 20, FleetCenter, Boston, 10 a.m. Afternoon
ceremony for University College and advanced-degree recipients, 3:15 p.m.
ALUMNI EVENTS
Call alumni relations, 617-373-3186, or e-mail <alumni@nunet.neu.edu>.
May: Nursing, centennial luncheon, May 11, location and time tba. Manhattan,
reception with former Green Bay Packer Sean Jones, May 14, University Club,
1 West 54th Street, 6 p.m. Sigma Epsilon Rho, annual meeting and awards
ceremony, May 17, Raytheon Amphitheater, Egan Center, 27 p.m. Class
of 1953, reunion, May 2325, Newport (Rhode Island) Marriott, various
times. Electrical Engineering and Civil Engineering, luncheon and design
contest, May 27, Egan Center, 8 a.m.2 p.m.
June: Rhode Island, second annual golf outing, June 1, Quidnessett Country
Club, North Kingstown, tba. Mechanical Engineering, capstone design contest
and luncheon, June 4, 333 Curry Center,
8 a.m.2 p.m. Sigma Epsilon Rho, honor society initiation, June
7, Hanscom Air Force Base, 37 p.m. Bouvé College, all-college
reunion, June 1114, Lighthouse Inn, Cape Cod, various times. Class
of 1948, fiftieth reunion, June 1721, Boston campus. Greater Boston,
annual golf outing, Framingham Country Club, noon.
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