Overview
Synopsis
In Molière’s classic, The Imaginary Invalid, Argan--the eponymous hypochondriac--makes everyone in his life miserable with his melodramatic suffering and endless, unnecessary curative treatments. His doctor and apothecary are bleeding him dry--literally and figuratively. His duplicitous second wife schemes to inherit his whole estate. His daughter, Angélique, is in love with Cléante, but Argan engages her to an oafish medical student, so as to secure more physicians for himself. Argan’s foolish and unshakable devotion to medicine is out of control, and it is up to Toinette, the family’s faithful servant, to set the household to rights again.
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Context
The Imaginary Invalid (French title: La Malade Imaginaire) is one of the most well-known plays of French playwright Molière. The comédie-ballet premiered at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris on February 10, 1673. It featured music and dance interludes by composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The Imaginary Invalid is Molière’s final work. During the fourth performance, Molière, playing Argan, collapsed twice; he was taken home, and died later that night.
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[FIRST INTERLUDE: The play begins with a pastoral song and dance, telling the story of two shepherdesses, Climene and Daphne, who fall in love with two shepherds, Tircis and Dorilas. Modern productions may cut this.]
ACT ONE
Argan, the imaginary invalid of the play’s title, sits alone, cheerfully reviewing his medical bills. He is a dramatic hypochondriac, who believes himself to be suffering from countless ailments, and will take any and all medicines prescribed to him by doctors,
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Character Portrayals
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