Monsieur,
We make bold to obtrude ourselves on Your attention even as You are very busy with Your glorious pursuits and we are painfully aware of submitting to the country a poorly balanced matter.
Nothing is greater or more splendid than the Name we dare to mention at the head of this work and nothing is baser than the latter’s content. Every one will judge this match quite strange and some will even say, to hint at its flaws, that it is not unlike crowning a terracotta statue with diamonds and pearls or leading a visitor through impressive porticoes and triumphal arches to reach a hovel.
And yet we dared, Monsieur, dedicate to You this nullity, this entertainment that pales besides Your magnificence, but that we contrived for Your amusement. This paltry work was composed after the writings of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, the 17th-century playwright whom You probably know better as Molière. In the light of Your glorious fatigue and Your victorious accomplishments it is only justice that those who pretend to strut the stage work either to praise You or to amuse You.
We have tried to do so, in the humble and sincere hope that You will find it in your heart to feel kindly disposed towards this modest work.
If we are unable to present You with an effort measuring up to Your resplendence, it will not be owing to any imperfections on the part of the audience, nor to any lack of zeal or study on the part of the thespians, but only to the mischance that often arises out of the best intentions, and that doubtless distresses considerably.
Your most humble, most obedient and most faithful servants and subjects,
La Troupe Imaginaire
POQUELIN
Or Les Fourberies de la Troupe imaginaire
Created for the entertainment of Monsieur
In the month of May 2003, the 21st
And given its first public performance in Brussels
At the Théâtre de la Lune
Arranged marriages, doomed love affairs, doctors, imaginary doctors, philosophers, imaginary philosophers, good manners, imaginary good manners, cuckolds, imaginary cuckolds, adultery, criticism, hiding and snooping about, asides, footmen and maids, feminists, misunderstandings, dances, music, masks, floggings, ladies and gentlemen, wenches and women, rakes and simpletons, apples and pears, misers and coffers, invalids and imaginary invalids, comedians, one-act pieces and farce, comedy and ballet, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, sonnets and poems, poetry and prose, letters and intrigue, assault and battery, eating and drinking, stuffing oneself and stinking, wigs and bald pates, whiskers and beards, trial and error, tables and chairs, sitting and reclining, enter and exit –
With, among others, Chrysalde, Philaminte, Ariste, Bélise, Armande, Henriette, Martine, L’épine, Clitandre, Vadius, Julien, Organte, Géronte, Octave, Léandre, Silvestre, Hyacinte, Nérine, Zerbinette, Lucile, Nicole, Cléonte, Covielle, Dorante, Dorimène, Argante, Béline, Angélique, Béralde, Louison, Cléante, Thomas, Dom Louis, Elvire, Carlos, Alonse, Violette, Frosine, Ragotin, Mathurine, Charlotte, Orgon, Elmire, Damis, Marianne, Valère, Dorine, Isabelle, Léonore, Lisette, Julie, Andrée, Jeannot, Criquet
By Adrien Albert de La Cour-Jardin, among other parts, Damis Albert Porte-Plume, among other parts, François Gérard du Carrefour, among other parts, Miss Yolande Valentine Bougies-Faiteur, among other parts, Miss Natalie Marie Brioche, among other parts, Miss Sara Alphonsine la Corbusière, Miss Christine Madeleine En-Bédroite, among other parts
In French
text Molière
with Natali Broods, Jolente De Keersmaeker, Sara De Roo, Damiaan De Schrijver, Tine Embrechts, Adriaan Van den Hoof and Frank Vercruyssen
editing Alexander Devriendt
translation of the Sganarelle adaptation Marc Van den Hoof and Laurence DHondt
mise en place Matthias de Koning
lighting design Thomas Walgrave
costumes An DHuys
assistence costumes Britt Angé
production STAN
premiere 21 May 2003, Kaaitheater / KunstenFESTIVALdesArts, Brussels
premiere French version 1 October 2004, Théâtre Garonne, Toulouse (FR)
2008
April
Sun 06.04.08 20:30
Schouwburg
Gent
Mon 07.04.08 20:30
Schouwburg
Gent
Tue 08.04.08 20:30
Schouwburg
Gent
Wed 09.04.08 20:30
Schouwburg
Gent
2006
January
Wed 04.01.06 20:30
KVS
Bruxelles
Thu 05.01.06 20:30
KVS
Bruxelles
Fri 06.01.06 20:30
KVS
Bruxelles
Sat 07.01.06 20:30
KVS
Bruxelles
2004
october
Fri 01.10.04 21:00
Théâtre Garonne
Toulouse
Sat 02.10.04 21:00
Théâtre Garonne
Toulouse
Mon 04.10.04 20:00
Théâtre Garonne
Toulouse
Tue 05.10.04 20:00
Théâtre Garonne
Toulouse
Wed 06.10.04 20:00
Théâtre Garonne
Toulouse
Tue 12.10.04
Théâtre du Port de la Lune
Bordeaux
Wed 13.10.04
Théâtre du Port de la Lune
Bordeaux
Thu 14.10.04
Théâtre du Port de la Lune
Bordeaux
Fri 15.10.04
Théâtre du Port de la Lune
Bordeaux
Sat 16.10.04
Théâtre du Port de la Lune
Bordeaux
Tue 19.10.04 20:30
Le Lieu Unique
Nantes
Wed 20.10.04 20:30
Le Lieu Unique
Nantes
Thu 21.10.04 20:30
Le Lieu Unique
Nantes
Fri 22.10.04 20:30
Le Lieu Unique
Nantes
november
Wed 03.11.04 19:30
Théâtre de Villefranche
Villefranche
Thu 04.11.04 20:30
Théâtre de Villefranche
Villefranche
Fri 05.11.04 20:30
Théâtre de Villefranche
Villefranche
Tue 09.11.04 20:00
La Comédie de Valence
Valence
Wed 10.11.04 20:00
La Comédie de Valence
Valence
Thu 11.11.04 20:00
La Comédie de Valence
Valence
Fri 12.11.04 20:00
La Comédie de Valence
Valence
Sat 13.11.04 20:00
La Comédie de Valence
Valence
Tue 16.11.04 20:30
Théâtre Antoine Vitez
Aix-en-Provence
Wed 17.11.04 20:30
Théâtre Antoine Vitez
Aix-en-Provence
Thu 18.11.04 20:30
Théâtre Antoine Vitez
Aix-en-Provence
Sat 20.11.04 20:30
Théâtre d'Arles
Arles
december
Mon 06.12.04 20:30
Le Point du Jour
Lyon
Tue 07.12.04 20:30
Le Point du Jour
Lyon
Wed 08.12.04 20:30
Le Point du Jour
Lyon
Thu 09.12.04 19:30
Le Point du Jour
Lyon
Fri 10.12.04 20:30
Le Point du Jour
Lyon
Sat 11.12.04 20:30
Le Point du Jour
Lyon
Tue 14.12.04 20:30
MC2
Grenoble
Wed 15.12.04 19:30
MC2
Grenoble
Thu 16.12.04 20:30
MC2
Grenoble
Fri 17.12.04 20:30
MC2
Grenoble
Sat 18.12.04 19:30
MC2
Grenoble
2003
may
Wed 21.05.03 20:30
Kaaitheater
Bruxelles
Thu 22.05.03 20:30
Kaaitheater
Bruxelles
Fri 23.05.03 20:30
Kaaitheater
Bruxelles
Sat 24.05.03 20:30
Kaaitheater
Bruxelles
september
Wed 10.09.03 20:30
Monty
Antwerpen
Thu 11.09.03 20:30
Monty
Antwerpen
Fri 12.09.03 20:30
Monty
Antwerpen
Sat 13.09.03 20:30
Monty
Antwerpen
Fri 19.09.03 20:00
Minard
Gent
Sat 20.09.03 20:00
Minard
Gent
Wed 24.09.03 20:15
CC Maasmechelen
Maasmechelen
Thu 25.09.03 20:15
Schouwburg Kortrijk
Kortrijk
Fri 26.09.03 20:00
Stadsschouwburg
Sint-Niklaas
Tue 30.09.03 20:30
Vlaams Cultuurhuis de Brakke Grond
Amsterdam
october
Wed 01.10.03 20:30
Vlaams Cultuurhuis de Brakke Grond
Amsterdam
Fri 03.10.03 20:30
kunstencentrum nona
Mechelen
Sat 04.10.03 20:30
kunstencentrum nona
Mechelen
Wed 08.10.03 20:15
CC Strombeek
Grimbergen
Thu 09.10.03 20:15
CC Strombeek
Grimbergen
Fri 10.10.03 20:30
Toneelschuur
Haarlem
Sat 11.10.03 20:30
Toneelschuur
Haarlem
Wed 15.10.03
Grand Theatre
Groningen
Thu 16.10.03
Grand Theatre
Groningen
Sat 18.10.03 20:30
Flex Theater
Creil
Fri 24.10.03 20:00
CC Belgica
Dendermonde
Tue 28.10.03 20:30
STUK
Leuven
Wed 29.10.03 20:30
STUK
Leuven
Fri 31.10.03
LAKtheater
Leiden
november
Sat 01.11.03 20:30
LAKtheater
Leiden