11. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (1969)

The School play performed on 13th 14th and 15th March, was Molière's "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme" in a translation by John Wood. Bearing the sub-title, "The Would-be Gentleman" and known also as "The Prodigious Snob" in Miles Malleson's adaptation, the play follows the social manoeuvrings of Monsieur Jourdain, a successful tradesman, whose wealth so obscures his vision that he spends large sums in vain attempts to acquire those accomplishments which he believes people of quality possess. Thus he purchases the services of a music master, a dancing master, fencing master and a philosopher to satisfy the demands of his overwhelming self-esteem and the better to win the affections of Dorimene, a lady of quality. If Jourdain belongs to the new class of rich men without breeding, then Dorante represents the class of men of breeding without cash. He is a key character in the plot: for while he extorts money from the gullible Jourdain by trading on his courtly connections, and promising to fix him up with lady of quality, he is using the wealth thus won to court the same lady himself.

To throw the futility of Jourdain's pretensions into sharp relief. Maliere uses the character of Madame Jourdain, a virago of woman, whose hardheadedness and commonsense are in direct proportion to her husband's possession of the opposite qualities. Jourdain's airs become insupportable to her when he opposes the marriage of their daughter Lucile with Cleonte, the embodiment of all a mother-in-lay would wish for her daughter, on the grounds that he is not a man of breeding. Fortunately for the course of true love. Carielle, Cleonte's valet is a man of resource, and a plot of his. Involving the transformation of Cleonte into the son of the Grand Turk, and the initiation of Jourdain as a Mamamouchi produces a splendid piece of farce and results in the desired marriage. What man of quality would object to becoming father-in-law to the son of the Grand Turk!

Dramatically the play gets off to an excellent start and it ends riotously but the middle section, at least in the English translation is rather dull. While Jourdain attempts to flaunt his newly discovered knowledge before his wife and daughter, the audience finds the exercise of patience a strangely difficult art. Of course it is presumptuous to criticize the genius of Molière. but it seems important to establish the point so that a fairer appraisal of this production may be made.

The play is about Jourdain. Jourdain holds the centre of the stage for most of the action and continuity between the other characters is provided by Jourdain. Thus if Jourdain is unconvincing, the whole play is unconvincing. How fortunate then were the producers in Neil Saunders whose portrayal of Jourdain assured the success of the production. He conveyed exactly Jourdain's childish excitement as each new situation developed; he embraced with enthusiasm each new doctrine of his teachers when it could be linked with the quest for 'quality': and we felt that he would burst with emotion as he saw his amorous objective looming nearer. For sheer dynamism Saunders' Jourdain can have few equals. But he was not always excited. He could show boredom with equal conviction, when he tolerated the rendering of a song: and his fawning humility before the son of the Grand Turk was delightful. Only once did he seriously misjudge the dramatic situation, when he referred to Cleonte in the Turkish scene as 'him in the green frock'. This line, supplied by the actor, not the playwright, was out of keeping with the character of a man who doted on the nobility. However this is a small point deployed to warn future actors in our school plays of che dangers of the ill-considered 'ad lib'. In general no praise can be too high for the variety, skill and enthusiasm that he brought to the part. Particularly admirable was perseverance in the dull middle section of the play.

Compared with Jourdain, all the other characters are minor, but beautifully written, Jeremy Haselock gave a perfect display as a music master lost in the wonders of celestial harmony - seeing in music alone the answer to life's problems. Whimsical and aloof he portrayed exactly a traditional figure of fun.

Paul Butler played the part of the dancing master with great verve and dash as he cavorted about the stage emphasising the virtues of this profession. Particularly effective was the effeminate use of his hands, entirely in keeping with one's conception of such a profession in seventeenth century Paris.

Geoffrey Morgan as fencing master provided a pleasing contrast in style to the other two masters with an aggressive masculinity reinforced by a French accent. There was of course no reason why he rather than anyone else should have adopted a French accent in this French classic, but whereas Music masters, dancing mastors and even philosopher's bound the world over, fencing masters can perhaps be more readily associated with the French court. Whatever was behind the producer's choice of the fencing master as the proponent of broken English, it seemed quite natural and authentic.

Richard King's philosopher introduced an admirable note of the worldly wisdom when the other masters had come to blows over their respective merits. But when his own profession was impugned, he rapidly became as worldly as the rest. Many will remember the moment when transported by a wild and primitive joy he enthused about the beauties of natural philosophy. A rare mixture of Mt. Athos monk and demoniacal fiend, his swirling figure presented a glorious visual image. This was a gem of a performance.

Duncan Webb as tailor was a living picture of the foppishness he sought to produce in Jourdain, and he was ably supported by Philip Davy and Blair Dunlop his impish assistants.

Anthony Watkins as Cleonte showed a tender passion towards his loved one, Lucile, but he will be remembered chiefly for his great dignity of bearing as son of the Grand Turk. Alan Bishop as Carielle his scheming valet, brought out the admirable villainy of Moliere's treatment of the part. David Harrod's Carante had just the right blend of easy charm, natural superiority and infinite resourcefulness.

Madame Jourdain, the female lead. was extremely well done by Barbara Tew. She dominated her husband not only by her presence but by the quality of her voice and the manner of her movement. Jane Smith brought simple dignity to the character of Dorimene, the lady of quality; and useful support was given by Christine Parker as Lucile and Patricia Robinson as Nicole.

The music used in the production was the original music written for Moliere by Lully and a very high standard of performance was achieved by the musicians Paul Mercer, Robert Poole, Richard Pikesley, David Mercer and Timothy Bond.

There were many gems in the production, most of which have been mentioned in this review, but the piece de resistance of the whole play was the ceremony of initiation in which Jourdain was enrolled as a Mamamouchi. From the first bizarre cries from the back of the auditorium as the Grand Turk's men advanced in extravagant procession, artistry and farce became inextricably wedded together. The bright colours. the swaying bodies the insistent rhythm of the chanting, all dominated by the colossal and deepthroated Mufti, played by Richard Pell, combined to produce a spectacle that will be slow to fade from our memories.

Our congratulations and thanks go to the producers Mrs. I. M. Lauder and Mr. I D. Collyer for their brilliant production, to the cast for the quality of their acting and to those many people, too numerous to mention, whose work behind the scenes was quite indispensable. We are especially grateful to Mrs. M. Packham, Headmistress of Northwood Secondary School und Mrs. S. Smallworth, the Drama Mistress for allowing six af their young ladies to take part in our play. Without their help and co-operation this venture would have been Impossible.

D. DIXON