This is a shortened but fun version of Molieres final play. Its main character, Argan, is so obsessed with his health, especially his bowel movements, that he fails to notice his wife only married him for his money, Neither does he realise that his plan to marry off his youngest daughter to a rich doctor so he can have free treatment is in jeopardy because she is in love with someone else.
KDC have turned what is actually a rather complex seventeenth century play into quite an amusing semi-musical and updated it. This will make it more accessible to a modern audience, but we certainly lose much of the quiet rage which pervades all of this great writers comedy, a rage directed at cant, lies and hypocrisy of all kinds. That said the cast sing the few songs nicely, and bring a sense of fun to proceedings.
Unfortunately the space is not conducive to the expansive acting and much running in and out of doors this style of play really requires to squeeze the most from the comedy, and though these are pretty good amateur actors, they really lack the comic timing to make some of the gags work. The actor playing Argan really needs to be a physical clown as well as an actor to pull it off.
Its a shame there was no programme or cast list available, as I would have like to have mentioned in particular the actress playing the comedy servant Toilette who did manage to convey something of the playwrights wry cynicism and remarkable playfulness with the dramatic form. Moliere was a theatrical revolutionary, and by the time of his death in 1673 had transformed French and therefore European comedy forever.
That death actually occurred when the playwright fell ill playing Argan on stage in a production of this play. There is no truth in the rumour that he might have survived but nobody believed he was ill.