The passions of two young lovers whose relationship is preordained for doom sets off the events of Carlo Goldoni’s A Curious Mishap. Giannina, daughter of wealthy merchant Philibert, is in love with French lieutenant De la Cotterie, who has returned from war with a damaged psyche and no money to his name. No longer able to conceal his passions but knowing that Philibert will not consent to marriage, De la Cotterie resigns himself and plans to return to France. The stakes are suddenly made higher when Philibert deduces that De la Cotterie must be in love with someone in his household. When Giannina tricks Philibert into thinking that the object of De la Cotterie’s affections is actually Costanza, the daughter of lowly shipping broker Riccardo, things begin to get complicated. With asides, stock character types, and verbal jousting typical of the Italian commedia style, audiences will have fun trying to keep up with A Curious Mishap’s rapid pace and the inter-tangled relationships between its characters.
A Curious Mishap guide sections
