DURBAN University of Technology (DUT) third-year drama students will be staging Molière’s Imaginary Invalid, the timeless satirical comedy about the foibles of a scheming, melodramatic hypochondriac, his hapless family and a slew of dishonest doctors, which comes to the DUT Courtyard Theatre from Monday, August 28 until Thursday, August 31.

Molière’s Imaginary Invalid is an outrageously funny masterpiece. The imaginary invalid of the title is the miserly and severely hypochondriac Argan, who wants his daughter, Angélique, to marry an unattractive, somewhat stupid young doctor so he can save on his medical bills. But she’s in love with the handsome and clever Cléante who pretends to be her music teacher. Argan has a scheming wife who wants to banish her stepdaughter Angélique and inherit the family money before Argan can spend it all. It is ultimately up to Toinette, the family’s faithful servant, to set the household to rights again.

ALSO READ: Win tickets to the Pick n Pay Wine and Food Festival in uMhlanga

Molière wrote frequently about doctors, and six of his comedies deal significantly with medical practitioners: The stereotype of the doctor who is greedy, pompous and inept – often speaking a jumble of Latin and Greek to prove his intelligence. The bumbling doctor is a stock character of commedia dell’arte, the Italian form that influenced Western comedy. Molière wrote The Imaginary Invalid as a comédie-ballet, a form that originally fused music, singing, dance and comedy.

Ironically, while playing Argan in the original production, Jean Baptiste Molière became very ill with suspected tuberculosis. He collapsed during his fourth performance as Argan on February 17, 1673 and died later that day.

The production is a hilariously funny high romp, traditionally presented with music and dance, which director Dr Pamela Tancsik has re-imagined to allow the students the opportunity to showcase their comedic abilities and perform in period dress – both important theatrical skills to nurture and develop.

ALSO READ: Fabulous reads: Danielle Steel returns with another romance novel

Tancsik is using the production’s original music by Marc-Antonie Charpentier and has sourced and created authentic-looking period-specific sets, costumes and props.

This will be Tancsik’s swan song with the DUT Drama Department – she retires at the end of the year.

The cast of 14 are all DUT third years who auditioned for their roles.

Tickets are priced at R50 per person, and students tickets are priced at R20. Tickets are available through secretary Bawinile on 031 373 2194 or email: BawinileM1@dut.ac.za.

For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.