While Molière’s The Miser was published more than three centuries ago in 1669, director Antonio Cimolino’s frenetically hilarious take on this classic satiric tale focusing on obsession with wealth hasn’t changed much in 353 years, at least for one timelessly greedy tightwad.
With a perfectly-cast Colm Feore as Harper – an obnoxious wealthy widower who prefers burying his obscenely huge fortune in the garden rather than trusting a bank or any other financial institution to the task of storage– Ranjit Bolt’s modern adaptation is a fast-paced delight from start to end.
Names may have been Anglicized but the essence of Molière’s L’Avare has been captured with Cimolino’s added infusion of the 21st Century to update the proceedings with references to the likes of former Tory leader Joe Clark, pop icon Justin Bieber, Trump-endorsed TV celebrity Dr. Oz, nasty suggestions of the FBI’s criminality and several pop-culture digs at millennials.
As for the marvellous Feore, he gleefully darts about at break-neck speed in the fashion of a theatrical Usain Bolt, hurling abuse at all who question his devotion to cheapness and tyrannical control of the lives grown children Eleanor and Charlie (well captured by Alexandra Lainfiesta and Qasim Khan).
Charlie – with his eye-catching sense of fashionable attire a la thrift shop – is devoted to the beautiful but impoverished Marianne (Beck Lloyd) who cares for her invalid mother. Meanwhile, Eleanor has her eye on Victor (Jamie Mac), a man with an unknown past who happens to be her father’s butler.
Although both view love as the key ingredient in their lives, Eleanor, with a sly nudge and wink, sees no disadvantage of partnering love to the huge inheritance promised to them by their uncle. The inheritance is jeopardized because Harper is the sole trustee and disapproves of their romantic choices.
Horrifying his son with the shocking announcement that he plans to marry Marianne and also, turning to Eleanor, has selected the elderly but of course wealthy Arthur Edgerton (delivered in brilliant straight-faced fashion by David Collins) as her husband-to-be.
Enter the eye-popping matchmaker Fay who has targeted Marianne as Harper’s ideal mate and a marital arrangement that would benefit her ailing mother. Hysterically brought to life by Lucy Peacock in outrageous garb highlighted by fake leopard coat and tight leather pants, she has the talent to alter her plans on the spot based on who she is talking to at the moment.
Feore has a marvellous time clowning with everyone on and off-stage, at one point glaring with menace at the audience from all sides, mockingly insinuating they may be part of the villainous plot to thwart his devious plans. Yet another brilliant performance from the Festival stalwart.
Ron Kennell as Jack, chef/chauffeur and latterly arbitrator, Emilio Vierra in the role of deviant household troublemaker Fletcher and Peacock as Fay walk off with numerous scene-stealing moments with Cimolino directing in a freewheeling manner allowing the absurdity to flow uninterrupted.
Designer Julie Fox’s contributions of truly bizarre garb selections and a wonderfully cluttered backdrop of assorted knick-knacks worthy of The Adams Family and music from Steven Page in his seventh collaboration with Cimolino round out a much-needed evening of laughter and fitting tribute to the 400th anniversary of Molière’s birthdate.
For those on the look-out, no spoiler alerts here about the twists and turns offered up in the grand finale (cleverly choreographed by Adrienne Gould) at Harper’s cluttered Victorian horror house.
Cimolino is spot-on: “The Miser, one of Molière’s most famous and most delightful creations, not only endures but also – in an age with an enormous financial services industry, rampant real estate speculation and multiple multibillionaires – resonates as never before.
“To borrow the words of another favourite playwright, William Shakespeare, The Miser will continue to be performed far into the future, ‘in states unborn and accents yet unknown.'
