The School for Lies at Algonquin College: Catriona Leger saves the evening!
Photo: Andrew Alexander Trevor Osbourne and Ryan Young.
Translating Molière is often a risky undertaking as David Whitely has shown us. His translations have usually been very good because they have captured the spirit of the original in multiple ways and he was lucky to have a professional cast directed by John P. Kelly. David Ives an award winning translator of Classical French theatre speaks of his translation of Corneille this way: “it is neither a translation nor an adaptation; it’s what I call a translaptation” (Playbill). He clearly tells us his intentions concerning Le Misanthrope in his prologue: “Screw Molière….we will do our own version”. Director Catriona Leger tells us this is a “liberal” and “lively” adaptation of the original which is a bit of an understatement but still, we recognize some of the original in the text.
Ives’ version is in verse, as is Le Misanthrope but since I do not have the English script in front of me I’m not sure Ives’ verse is Alexandrine. Still the rhyme is clear and that is no small translating feat. Alceste, the principle character, becomes “Frank in the translation, a name which clearly expresses the naïve and forthright honesty of this moral watchdog whose outspoken truths and fight against hypocrisy upset all those around him. The plot unfolds according to Molière’s play except that there are some surprising plot twists which supposedly create a sense that the play expresses our contemporary reality. That is really stretching it!
The text has become a raunchy adaptation unfolding in an imaginary milieu that corresponds to a comic book style world, relating to nowhere in particular, in spite of the image of the Eiffel Tower upstage and French songs that greet us before the lights come on. The programme tells us that the students have received instruction in elements of classical theatre! I gather “elements” is the key word because neo-classical theatre” refers to training in French 17th century theatre which is essentially based on the theatrical reading of the Alexandrine, I did not hear too much of that. If they had obeyed the laws of this style of speech it all could have been quite funny but they mainly created a grotesque caricature, based on overacting and much garbled speech and rambling on (Director Leger did her best to keep the rhythm crisp and rapid but the students had trouble articulating their lines precisely because they are not trained to work with this kind of dialogue!)
Thus the staging shifted all the “fun” on to the body and it became a physical free for all with lots of gags, and wild costumes, gender bending, a game that amused the students and entertained the audience. but then what was left of Moliere? Not much. .
What then does that mean for students studying theatre? I saw no particular talent emerging from this show because there appeared to be no particular discipline imposed on their performances. Trevor Osbourne as Frank’s friend Philinte, and then as a surprise guest, has an excellent voice but he spent most of his time fooling around so the voice did not serve him in any particular way. Sasha Laing as the glowing Celimene all tarted up in red, had some presence as she and her friends appeared in Imeson’s costumes that were far out in space! But all the acting produced very little meaning from the text – delivery was either monotonous and a-tonal or forced, artificial devoid of any precise style. The show all came down to Catriona Léger’s stage business, some of which was quite good. That was no doubt the best way to save the show ,
.
School for Lies is therefore a lot of fun and silliness but a performance that only a mother could take seriously, when she sees her children on stage! As for “classical theatre”….forget that.
The run finished on Sunday the 15th at the Studio Theatre, Algonquin College.
The School for Lies ..Adapted by David Ives from Molière’s Le Misanthrope.
A Production of Algonquin College Theatre Arts.
Directed by Catriona Leger
Costumes: Vanessa Imeson
Set: John Doucet
Lights: David Magladry
Sound: Jenna Brown
Cast:
Philinte Trevor Osbourne
Clitander Justin Dickerson
Frank Ryan Young
Oronte Joseph Marchand
Dubois/Basque Nelson Mcculloch
Célimène Sasha Laing
Eliante Krista LeBlanc
Acaste Matthieu Robert
Arsinoé Carrie Milks