Under the leadership of Two River’s artistic director John Dias and managing director Michael Hurst, Sunday’s matinee performance of Moliere’s beloved French farce The School for Wives was undeniably entertaining and satisfying.
The School for Wives is a neo-classical comedy about insecure, middle-aged Arnolphe (Robert Stanton) who tries, but fails, to mold Agnes, his naive young ward (Phillipa Soo), into the perfect, loyal wife. Hilarity reigns as the pompous bachelor is repeatedly outwitted by the rival suitor Horace (Korey Jackson), the bumbling servants Georgette and Alain (real-life sister and brother Bree Elrod and Carson Elrod) and the innocent, unwilling bride-to-be. Rounding out the talented company are Billy Eugene Jones (Chrysalde), Steven Rattazzi (Enrique/Notary) and Keith Reddin (Oronte).
Leading man Stanton, best known for his role as the father in the 1993 film, Dennis the Menace, and more recently, for his appearance in television’s Orange Is the New Black, did Moliere proud by delivering a passionate, multi-dimensional performance. (Moliere himself took on the challenging role of Arnolphe in the play’s original production in 1662).
The actors’ high-energy witty rhyming couplets kept the dialogue humming for two hours. Among the especially memorable verses is Arnolphe’s delectable exclamation:
"I’ve known men who’ve undergone much pain / because they’ve married girls with too much brain!"
The spirited dialogue faltered just once, during a rather stagnant reciting-of-the-marriage-maxims scene that could have benefited from some additional stage action by Arnolphe and Agnes.
Kudos to director Mark Wing-Davey, who runs the graduate acting program at NYU, for enforcing the original script. The text was masterfully translated into English verse by Pulitzer-Prize winner Richard Wilbur (who grew up in North Caldwell) in 1971. Although liberties were not taken with the script, the time period was innovatively fast-forwarded from the 17th century to the late 1950s, with production design inspired by the films of Jean-Luc Godard. This updated time period resulted in playful nuances that included Horace’s entrances on a snappy Vespa scooter. We think Moliere would have approved.
The rousing romp takes place in and around Arnolphe’s home in a provincial French town. The architecturally resplendent set, deftly designed by David Gallo, includes an enchanting garden embellished with colorful peach trellises and freshly picked vegetables. (Watch a time-lapse video of Gallo’s impressive set construction.)
Moliere’s classic love-triangle plot is enhanced by the laugh-out-loud physical comedy of inept servants Georgette and Alain. Elrod and Elrod’s clowning contributed to a delightful show, as did solid performances by the well-cast company.
Find out why Moliere’s comedic genius continues to attract theatergoers centuries after the “Shakespeare of France” first penned it. Tickets range from $37 to $65 and are available by calling 732-345-1400 or visiting tworivertheater.org.