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Michael Cox reviews an enjoyable production that has excellent performances but is missing something.
There is no denying that Thon Man Moliere is a very likeable production. The cast are a joy to watch, the script is full of witty lines and the production moves at a quick pace without any dips in the dramatic action.
And yet it's missing a needed spark.
Director Tony Cownie has created a production that is frequently enjoyable. Written by Liz Lochhead, the play looks at the professional life of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin de Moliere, arguably one of the greatest playwrights in history. Moliere is at a crisis point: not only does he have a potentially controversial play he fully believes in but he is also developing feelings for the daughter of his lead actress.
Lochhead has a lot of fun playing with theatrical clichés as we watch the theatre company in action; life off stage has more drama with the need to balance the books and the politics of running a company. Lochhead also gives us a colourful collection of characters, including seasoned company actors Gros-Rene and Therese Du Parc (Steven McNicoll and Nicola Roy) along with the new blood in the acting company, Michel Baron (James Anthony Pearson—having a blast on stage), and quiet young dreamer Menou (Sarah Miele). Perhaps the production’s MVP is Molly Innes as company servant Toinette, a wonderfully comedic force whose frequent catchphrase (I won’t spoil it) gets some of the biggest laughs.
And as Moliere, Jimmy Chisholm is an utter delight. Bouncing with energy and enjoying the fact he's probably the smartest man in the room, Chisholm injects passion into a character who could easily be unsympathetic, resulting in a barnstorming performance. Equalling him in every way is Siobhan Redmond as Madeleine Bejart, a former flame who still serves Moliere as his leading actress and business partner. Redmond actually has many of the play’s toughest moments and manages to play her character with comedic dignity.
And yet, with such fun performances and witty lines, there remains a hole onstage that no one is able to fill: the actual presence of Moliere. As good as Lochhead’s script is, nothing she writes comes close to Moliere’s actual work. It isn't helped that two of his masterpieces, Tartuffe and The School For Wives, are frequently referenced, and there are times that it seems a shame this talented cast isn't playing either of those plays.
Inside jokes can be hard to crack, and Lochhead and Cownie certainly pull it off. One doesn't have to be a Moliere fan to appreciate the production—there is a lot of fun to be had all round. But as good as Thon Man Moliere is, it just doesn't have the zip or sting of the real McCoy.
Thon Man Moliere performs at the Royal Lyceum until June 11.
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