ABSTRACT

Moliere's plays are the cornerstone of the French Classical dramatic repertoire. Adapted and exploited in his day by dramatists of the English Restoration, they are now again growing in popularity.
In this detailed and fascinating volume, Gerry McCarthy examines the practice and method of possibly the greatest actor-dramatist. From the rough farces of Moliere's days on the road to the creation of the diverse and spectacular court entertainments on his return to Paris, McCarthy sheds new light on the dramatic intelligence and theatrical understanding of Moliere's writing for the actor.
Drawing on Moliere's own brief discussions of performance and the contemporary evidence of his practice, this is a crucial addition to the debate on style and method in classical acting and on the staging of classical plays on the contemporary stage.

chapter |4 pages

INTRODUCTION

part |2 pages

Part 1 LE PREMIER FARCEUR DE FRANCE

chapter 1|11 pages

STREET AND STAGE

chapter 2|13 pages

Education: Jean-Baptiste Poquelin at the Collège

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin at the Collège de Clermont

chapter 3|10 pages

FARCEURS:

Old French Farce and commedia dell’arte

chapter 4|19 pages

COUNTRY MANNERS

chapter 5|19 pages

L'École des femmes and the form of comedy

part |2 pages

Part 2 A CELEBRATORY THEATRE

chapter 6|19 pages

THE COURT DRAMATIST

chapter 7|24 pages

STAGES

chapter 8|15 pages

SCENES AND COSTUMES

chapter 9|22 pages

ACTING

part |2 pages

Part 3 A POLITE AUDIENCE

chapter 10|11 pages

THE TOWN PLAYHOUSE AT THE PALAIS-ROYAL

chapter 11|19 pages

THE POLITE AUDIENCE

chapter 12|16 pages

Behaviour reviewed

at the Palais-Royal

chapter |6 pages

CONCLUSION