L'Avare

A 2-hour play with an intermission.

Harpagon's daughter Elise wants to marry Valère, while her brother Cléante wants to marry Mariane. But the father has other plans for his children, and has set his sights on the young girl himself. The play, created by Molière in 1668, would be a comedy of love were it not for the fact that behind this initial plot lies the comedy of a character, the miser, whose precious cassette, stolen for a moment, is opportunely returned to bring about a happy ending. A comic creature, the object of mockery and revenge, but also a monstrous nature and domestic tyrant, Harpagon is the figure who dominates almost every scene, ensuring the play's dramatic effectiveness and allowing the comedy to verge on farce. Through satire, misunderstanding and irony, Molière paints a mercilessly funny portrait of Harpagon.