Northern Theatre Harag György Company

On the last day of the festival we wittnessed a nice and imaginative staging of Molière's very controversial piece. What actually Scapino is? Is it a carelessly written, light low-comedy, the last sparks of creativity of an old writer who had written his masterpieces? Is it a summary of the lessons of life? Is it an Ars Poetica? Is it the main character's vaied and apparently free figure which presents a challenge both for the actor and the director? Does Molière has outlined his own person in this character? Purcărete's staging seems to emphasize these last details, and both the scene set with its hint of timelessness and the costumes do not deny this idea.

The action takes place in a in full (or perhaps just before) renovation cafe and the characters simultaneously emerging commedia dell’arte actors and (today living) people. The overlap of the two situations is released by the use of symbols. Under plastic film covering the old piano in the corner, one might discover the main character himself. While the curtain rises, lady's Rococo-dress of the life-size painting hanging on the wall, is sewing by one of the characters.
Geronte is hiding in a plastic bag from his supposed pursuer and receives a beating from Scapino, as well as the two girls also hidden under plastic from unauthorized eyes. The chairs piled in a corner are as timeless as the characters costumes themselves.

Profession: Trickster?

Scapino, the former deceitful servant, makes his appearance on the piano cover as an old, dotard, depraved pianist. It takes a long period of time, up to recover at all, other to leave convinced the boys appeals to help them - using his once inventiveness and intriguing ability. Viable children of rich and stingy parents, lacking both the will and the mind and even the courage for the fulfillment of their love and asserting their own interests. Moreover, Leandru, Géronte’s son, is used to his father’s thirst for revenge and power. We therefore witness a permanent chair breakings, crackling, storms, succession of funny troubles, until human ingenuity and reason win – namely Scapino helps lovers retrieval, helps the boys in taking their fathers money (do not keeping any coin for himself), finally revenging himself with a thrashing against those who had humiliated him. However, in order to find his end into a banal accident: hit in the head by a heavy object of a construction site. Even before death, he is trying to arrange things after his own lust, to manipulate both those who have exploited him and his enemies.

Can it be a poetics of Molière who, mocking the absurdities of his time that brings him both criticism and praise, serves the whole range of rules of the comic genre crowned with a large ration of self-irony? The fact is that it cannot fit at all into any patterns of poor quality entertainment. It makes us laugh, but meanwhile it makes one think and stirs emotions as well.
On the last day of the festival we wittnessed a nice and imaginative staging of Molière's very controversial piece. What actually Scapino is? Is it a carelessly written, light low-comedy, the last sparks of creativity of an old writer who had written his masterpieces? Is it a summary of the lessons of life? Is it an Ars Poetica? Is it the main character's vaied and apparently free figure which presents a challenge both for the actor and the director? Does Molière has outlined his own person in this character? Purcărete's staging seems to emphasize these last details, and both the scene set with its hint of timelessness and the costumes do not deny this idea.

The action takes place in a in full (or perhaps just before) renovation cafe and the characters simultaneously emerging commedia dell’arte actors and (today living) people. The overlap of the two situations is released by the use of symbols. Under plastic film covering the old piano in the corner, one might discover the main character himself. While the curtain rises, lady's Rococo-dress of the life-size painting hanging on the wall, is sewing by one of the characters.
Geronte is hiding in a plastic bag from his supposed pursuer and receives a beating from Scapino, as well as the two girls also hidden under plastic from unauthorized eyes. The chairs piled in a corner are as timeless as the characters costumes themselves.

Profession: Trickster?
Scapino, the former deceitful servant, makes his appearance on the piano cover as an old, dotard, depraved pianist. It takes a long period of time, up to recover at all, other to leave convinced the boys appeals to help them - using his once inventiveness and intriguing ability. Viable children of rich and stingy parents, lacking both the will and the mind and even the courage for the fulfillment of their love and asserting their own interests. Moreover, Leandru, Géronte’s son, is used to his father’s thirst for revenge and power. We therefore witness a permanent chair breakings, crackling, storms, succession of funny troubles, until human ingenuity and reason win – namely Scapino helps lovers retrieval, helps the boys in taking their fathers money (do not keeping any coin for himself), finally revenging himself with a thrashing against those who had humiliated him. However, in order to find his end into a banal accident: hit in the head by a heavy object of a construction site. Even before death, he is trying to arrange things after his own lust, to manipulate both those who have exploited him and his enemies.

Can it be a poetics of Molière who, mocking the absurdities of his time that brings him both criticism and praise, serves the whole range of rules of the comic genre crowned with a large ration of self-irony? The fact is that it cannot fit at all into any patterns of poor quality entertainment. It makes us laugh, but meanwhile it makes one think and stirs emotions as well.