Scapin at PTC

I am a huge fan of Moliere (Tartuffe and The Imaginary Invalid are two of my very favorite plays) but I had never seen Scapin before so I was really looking forward to the contemporary retelling of this classic play now being performed at PTC. I had the chance to see it last night and it is an absolute riot! The setting is Naples in the 1960s and, while their mothers have been away, Octave (Alex Walton) has secretly married Hyacintha (Andrea Morales) and Leandre (Adrian Baidoo) has fallen in love with Zerbinette (Lucy Lavely) despite the fact that both women are unsuitable and their mothers have already made far grander marriage plans for them. When Arganta (Celeste Ciulla) and Geronta (Sofia Jean Gomez) return to Naples, their sons are desperate. They beg Leandre's servant Scapin (Kate Middleton) to intervene with their mothers on their behalf and hilarity ensues when she uses lies and tricks to keep the young couples together! The happy ending is assured when the identities of Hyacintha and Zerbinette are revealed and Scapin is forgiven by Arganta and Geronta. One of my favorite elements of this new adaptation is the use of Zerbinette's band, The Gypsies, as a sort of Greek chorus to explain and comment upon the action with pop songs (my favorites were "Trouble" by Taylor Swift, "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" by The Beastie Boys, "Material Girl" by Madonna, and "Oops!...I Did It Again" by Britney Spears). Another favorite element is the comedic physicality of the performances! At one point Scapin enlists the help of Octave's servant Sylvestre (Xavier Reyes), usually mild-mannered, to threaten Arganta and when he brandishes his sword and accidentally stabs his own foot the crowd erupted in laughter and applause. I also laughed out loud when Scapin has Geronta hide while she pretends to fight imaginary bandits. In addition to Middleton, Ciulla, Gomez, and Reyes, I also enjoyed Baidoo's over the top performance, especially when he is interrogating Scapin. Since this adaptation is set in the 1960s, the costumes are absolutely fantastic with lots of bold colors and patterns. I particularly loved an embroidered frock coat worn by Leandre! The set of a colorful courtyard in Naples, featuring a trattoria on one side (with a portrait of Sophia Loren inside), a cafe on the other, and a working fountain in the center, is truly a sight to behold with lots of fun details. I loved the cafe lights strung across the stage, the parked Vespa, the vegetable stands (the contents of which become amusing props), the potted plants, and the gelato cart (which makes an appearance in the second act). I loved this show (I don't think I stopped laughing all night) and I highly recommend it for a bit of fun!  It runs at PTC until October 1 (go here for tickets).

Note: I had the chance to visit Pere Lachaise Cemetery on a trip to Paris. Most people ask for directions to Jim Morrison's grave but I asked for directions to Moliere's.