CityLife

The Miser

Sinon Gregor as La Fleche and Derek Griffiths as Harpagon in The Miser

ALTHOUGH Helena Kaut-Howson is still listed as director of this new production of Moliere’s classic, the Polish-born director, who has previously worked at the Exchange on such acclaimed productions as Hindle Wakes, and The Marriage Of Figaro, was noticeably absent from the First Night performance. 

It seems that she and the Exchange parted ways very late in the rehearsal process and that artistic director Braham Murray – who provided the translation and who had directed his own very successful production there back in 1991 with Tom Courtenay – stepped in to deliver the show.

Inevitably, there are varying versions of what prompted this unhappy development and the difference it has made to the production.

But, to judge by Kaut-Howson’s comments and her observations in the already-printed programme, the production we can see is played more broadly as a farce and is by no means as dark as Kaut-Howson envisaged.

Bleak times

As an audience member in search of entertainment in these bleak times, of course, this is not necessarily a bad thing.

Certainly, it was well-received last night, with Derek Griffiths’ bits of comic business  in the second half proving especially popular. 
 

It is Moliere’s great achievement to have raised French comedy to the dramatic heights attained in tragedy and there are few more tragic figures than the miser Harpagon (Derek Griffiths).

His greed is obsessive and tyrannical, while his paranoia affects everyone who comes into contact with him.

Self-serving antics

His own children Cleante (Danny Lee Wynter) and Elise (Helen Bradbury) are forced to lie and plot in order to have some hope of happiness with their intended, Mariane (Sarah Ovens) and Valere (Charlie Walker-Wise).

The already-complicated proceedings are further muddied by the self-serving antics of the likes of Harpagon’s cook and coachman Jacques (Julian Chagrin).

In the end, only a somewhat absurd ‘deus ex machina’ appearance of a long-lost father can save a situation spiralling downwards into hopelessness and cynicism.
 

The look of the production, which would seem to have essentially survived any backstage shenanigans, has been described by Kaut-Howson as “Seventeenth century nightmare dreamt today’.

Extraordinarily striking

It’s extraordinarily striking, with costumes that combine basic ‘commedia dell’arte’ with Vivienne Westwood-esque punk, although in the production’s lesser moments, it can veer a little too close to panto for my personal comfort.

Until October 3.