The Imaginary Invalid

Director's Note

The Imaginary Invalid by Moliere is a classic French Restoration comedy that explores the ideas of blind obsession, true love, and quackery. Argan is obsessed with his health—or rather, a series of imagined illnesses that plague him. The obvious solution to his problem is to have his daughter, Angelique, marry a doctor so that he will have a dutiful son-in-law to tend to his needs and write his prescriptions. The only problem is that Angelique is already in love! It is up to Toinette, the household servant, and Argan’s brother Béralde to set everything straight.

In addition to producing this important work, you will see our students performing the show in a traditional vein. The Comedia Dell’Arte is a style of street theater that the Italians inherited from the Romans, eventually passed on to the French, and still has lasting influence today. We have shaped our characters based on the ancient archetypes from the Comedia and are even using traditional masks! But that is only the beginning—we even have a troupe of actors that have devised original material to coincide with our play. Our experience with The Imaginary Invalid has been rich and rewarding, and we are glad to welcome you into the world of Moliere and the Comedia.

Thank you for coming and enjoy the show!

Best,

Mr. Winters and the Production Team

 

The Imaginary Invalid Trailer

 

 

Artist's Statement

The playbill image allowed us to capture the Imaginary Invalid’s essence through vibrant color balanced with dark undertones. We loved experimenting with different shades of color and playing off each other’s ideas. We explored the use of simple lines and textures to create an art piece that communicates a concept. We hoped to capture in the design the feeling of being a hypochondriac—pulled into the oblivion of fears that take control of your life.

Kayla Boyce '19 & Cloie Schoen '19

 

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