The Pests
by Molière, translated and slightly abridged and adapted by Felicia Londré

Molière's deliciously trifling comedy in a garden setting won the favor of the Sun King in 1661 and set his course to become the most-produced comic writer in the history of theatre.

This neglected classic marked Molière's first mingling of sparkling verse dialogue and dance numbers.

While written for a courtly audience, the play dared to mock recognizable personalities and their obnoxious eccentricities.

For modern audiences, the human foibles still look familiar and very funny.

Desperately in love with the coquettish Orphise, Eraste tries to maintain his aristocratic composure as one obnoxious person after another interrupts his pursuit.

Can he appreciate Lysandre's self-taught, self-proclaimed genius as a singer and dancer?

Will he defy the king's ban on dueling to serve as second for a friend who took offense at another's unfortunate word choice?

Can he follow the card player's compulsion to recount every move?

Or the hunter's venting about horse and hounds?

How can he politely put a stop to the scholar's torrent of verbiage?

Or the financial wheeler-dealer's spiel?

Will Orphise let him explain about the two women smothering him with their theorizing about lovers?

In counterpoint to the swatting of pests, three dance interludes allow the company's creativity to go wild.

And there's a fight scene.

Of course, Eraste gets the girl in the end.