REVIEW
The Learned Ladies
by Moliere
performed by
The Southend Shakespeare Company
Dixon Studio at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
23rd to 27th October 2018
The Learned Ladies
by Moliere
performed by
The Southend Shakespeare Company
Dixon Studio at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
23rd to 27th October 2018
ONCE again, Southend Shakespeare Company has boldly ventured where other Essex thespians never tread, to wit, the cellar marked “Dusty Neglected Playscripts”.
This time the players have emerged with a play by Moliere, The Learned Ladies.
Moliere, the great 17th century French playwright, is a Gallic icon on a par with berets, Tripe Normande, and Bridgitte Bardot. Learned Ladies is actually one of his funniest and most cleverly conceived comedies, but for some reason it has been consigned to the basement, while other Moliere comedies like Tartuffe and The Misanthrope are constantly revived. So let's get the key word in, right at the start. Thank you. Thank you director SSC director Vanessa Osborn for giving us the chance to see it.
If 17th century French comedy sounds a bit for the birds – rather posh birds – let me reassure you otherwise. While stylised, in the best sense of the word, the play remains enormously entertaining to a modern audience, and bang up to date in the targets it mocks.
The No1 comic villain here is the windbag poet Trissotin (James Carter). A fop and a humbug, Trissotin pilfers wholesale from other poets, and still manages to mangle his verse into meaningless garbage.
Yet this supreme phoney contrives to enrapture the chicks, and his salon is attended by a group of adoring women. Their response evokes all those screaming girls who used to mob bands like the Beatles.
Leading the mob of poet groupies is Philamine (Madeleine Ayres) who is so enamored of Trissotin that she tries to pimp her own daughter, Henriette (Cathy Memery) in marriage to the poet, in order to bring this lustrous genius into the family.
Philamine is opposed by her husband Chrysale (Andrew Sugden), not to mention the independent-minded Henrietta herself, but Chrysale, while clear-sighted, is still a complete domestic coward, who caves in to his wife at the slightest hint of household turbulence.
So, as usual, Moliere has come up with a delicious comic framework. He then delivers the dynamics with a finesse that can teach any modern sitcom writer a thing or two. The director adds a few touches of her own. These include an inspired gag involving a phallic symbol.
The core scene involves an extended poetry reading by Trissotin, during which his female audience turns steadily more hysterical. A second bogus poet, Vadius (Ross Norman-Clarke) then arrives at the salon. The two verbose frauds are soon at one another's throats, and matters degenerate into a duel – with quill pens.
This extended sequence is perfectly paced by Mrs Osborn, and involves such lovely ensemble playing by the ladies (Louise Banks, Sarah Campfield, Katie Bysouth, Judith Laurence) that you just never want the scene to end.
Equally scrumptious is the period language, which sounds great even in translation. The irony is that the characters use language beautifully when, unlike Trissotin, they are not actually trying to impress with high-flown verse.
The Learned Ladies is an ideal vehicle for Southend Shakespeare Company's great strengths, built into its DNA over the decades. These include the gracious ensemble playing, already referred to; striking costumes and wigs from its very own wardrobe department; a knack for comedy that seems to come with the membership card; and principals like Carter, Ayres and Sugden who would be stars if they were paid pros rather than amateurs doing the job for love.
The only aspect that may grate with modern audiences is the notion, implicit in the title, that women are silly to chase scholarship and intellectual development. Moliere clearly thinks that they should instead concentrate on cooking tasty soups for their husbands.
But this could be interpreted as a piece of daring social radicalism, in what is otherwise a thoroughly good humoured comedy which doesn't take itself or any of its characters too seriously.
Tom King
Performance Dates Tues 23rd - Sat 27th October 2018
Adults £15.00 Concessions £1.50 off.
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat at 7.45pm. Sat Matinee at 3.00pm.
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
Box office: 01702 3531135
We ask director, Vanessa Osborn, a few questions before curtain up!
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First of all, tell us a bit about yourself; how long have you been with SSC?
I joined the SSC in 2000 when I auditioned for a part in their production of Sheridan's "The School For Scandal." I had taken a break from acting and had been enjoying spending free time at dance classes, especially, Egyptian belly dance. I have loved being involved with shows since my early days at school and continued being involved at university, in Spain, where I lived for a few years, and back in Southend. What are your most memorable moments? One of my earliest drama memories was in Norway where I went to primary school in a little town near the Swedish border. I was cast as Mary in the Nativity and the caretaker made me a wooden donkey. My friend Oyvind, who was Joseph pulled me along as I sat on it with my favourite doll, Mandy. Half way to Bethlehem, at the centre and front of the stage the donkey collapsed and the audience roared! But at least I wasn't put off ever going on stage again! |
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What parts will we have seen you play and which is your favourite?
I love performing as well as directing and The SSC in particular has given me the opportunity to take part in productions of real quality with very talented members in all spheres - backstage as well. I love that we put on five shows a year and choose plays of merit from ancient Greek authors, through a classical repertoire, to more modern writers. The variety and pace of productions is exciting. You can finish one and the next day be rehearsing the next! Some of my favourite roles have been in Shakespeare plays, including Rosalind in As You Like It, Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Lady Macbeth, Viola in Twelfth Night and Portia in The Merchant of Venice.
We are lucky to be able to perform at the Palace Theatre in Southend which is such a great venue and hub of local creativity and I feel very privileged to have the use of a beautiful old theatre on my doorstep.
I love performing as well as directing and The SSC in particular has given me the opportunity to take part in productions of real quality with very talented members in all spheres - backstage as well. I love that we put on five shows a year and choose plays of merit from ancient Greek authors, through a classical repertoire, to more modern writers. The variety and pace of productions is exciting. You can finish one and the next day be rehearsing the next! Some of my favourite roles have been in Shakespeare plays, including Rosalind in As You Like It, Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Lady Macbeth, Viola in Twelfth Night and Portia in The Merchant of Venice.
We are lucky to be able to perform at the Palace Theatre in Southend which is such a great venue and hub of local creativity and I feel very privileged to have the use of a beautiful old theatre on my doorstep.
Vanessa as Titania with Keith Chanter as Oberon
What’s the best thing about being a member of SSC?
The SSC also tour with an outdoor production every summer and that is brilliant fun. We pitch up with our tents and fairy lights and we are a proper little band of entertainers in the manner of hundreds of years ago. Last year we had a fabulous band and singers accompanying the action which added even more to the fun and enjoyment.
You are directing Learned Ladies, can you tell us a bit about the play and the storyline?
I am currently directing "The Learned Ladies" which is a very good comedy by Moliere. It has very lively and distinct characters with a fast-paced plot and is a thoroughly entertaining piece of farce. It was written in the late 1600's at a time when women were not encouraged to study and be intellectual and it is a piece of satire aimed at those women of the time who started to educate themselves in the higher echelons of society. He pokes fun at them but also at the male pedants who loved to show off their learning. However, although he is poking fun at the fashion for learning, there are also voices of support for the emancipation for women and their education and I am looking forward to seeing how the audience react to certain declarations made in this play!
The action is set in the wealthy home of Chrysale who is unhappy with the confusion his home has been thrown into by his wife's new passion for learning. Even the servants are being forced to study instead of carry out their usual duties. He has 4 daughters, one of whom would like to enjoy a more traditional role of wife and mother. He is terrified of his wife who rules the household. Both parents wish this daughter to marry different suitors, one of which is a poet whose self-belief is giant and who entertains the ladies with performances of his "poetry." There are several other engaging characters which populate this play and keep the action interesting and comic.
This ensemble piece is being played to wonderful effect by the actors and they are dressed superbly. Quite a spectacle!
The SSC also tour with an outdoor production every summer and that is brilliant fun. We pitch up with our tents and fairy lights and we are a proper little band of entertainers in the manner of hundreds of years ago. Last year we had a fabulous band and singers accompanying the action which added even more to the fun and enjoyment.
You are directing Learned Ladies, can you tell us a bit about the play and the storyline?
I am currently directing "The Learned Ladies" which is a very good comedy by Moliere. It has very lively and distinct characters with a fast-paced plot and is a thoroughly entertaining piece of farce. It was written in the late 1600's at a time when women were not encouraged to study and be intellectual and it is a piece of satire aimed at those women of the time who started to educate themselves in the higher echelons of society. He pokes fun at them but also at the male pedants who loved to show off their learning. However, although he is poking fun at the fashion for learning, there are also voices of support for the emancipation for women and their education and I am looking forward to seeing how the audience react to certain declarations made in this play!
The action is set in the wealthy home of Chrysale who is unhappy with the confusion his home has been thrown into by his wife's new passion for learning. Even the servants are being forced to study instead of carry out their usual duties. He has 4 daughters, one of whom would like to enjoy a more traditional role of wife and mother. He is terrified of his wife who rules the household. Both parents wish this daughter to marry different suitors, one of which is a poet whose self-belief is giant and who entertains the ladies with performances of his "poetry." There are several other engaging characters which populate this play and keep the action interesting and comic.
This ensemble piece is being played to wonderful effect by the actors and they are dressed superbly. Quite a spectacle!
Performance Dates Tues 23rd - Sat 27th October 2018
Adults £15.00 Concessions £1.50 off.
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat at 7.45pm. Sat Matinee at 3.00pm.
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fees. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
Adults £15.00 Concessions £1.50 off.
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat at 7.45pm. Sat Matinee at 3.00pm.
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fees. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.