North Coast Repertory Theatre’s adaptation of Molière’s The Imaginary Invalid is a social comedy that exposes the ridiculousness of station, pride and matters of the heart. This adaptation was set sometime in the regency era, judging by the elegant costumes by Megan Hughes and Linda Muggeridge, and rich set design by Nora East. While much of the thematic material points out the hypocrisies and inadequacies of the social class system of that era, there are a few jabs at current issues as well. Or maybe things haven’t really changed since the mid-1600s when Moliere penned the original script. That’s a bitter pill to swallow, but fun over-the-top characters are the spoonful of sugar that gets the medicine down. And in the end love prevails in unexpected ways (well, some of it was expected, but not all.)
Argan (Todd Chittenden) is the hypochondriac head of a household consisting of his daughters Angelique (Mel Resendez), Louison (Mariah Hall) and house servant Toinette (Holly Robertson). Argan’s solution to his escalating doctor bills is to arrange a marriage for Angelique to young, soon-to-be doctor Thomas Diafourus (Stephan Chittenden). With a doctor in the family, he would get free healthcare.
Many flies find their way into this ointment and thwart his plans at every turn. Angelique doesn’t care for the arrangement since she has fallen in love with Cleante (Leo Natharent) and is certain he will ask for her hand at any moment. Louison is mad Argan didn’t arrange the marriage for her instead. His second wife Beline (Janine Redwine) is scheming to steal his wealth with the help of her lover, lawyer Monsieur de Bonnefoi (Moss Nipkau). Thomas is reluctant to marry anybody but is cowed by his overbearing father Monsieur Diafourus (Ricardo Cueva). Toinette is the sensible center, trying to find the best solutions for everyone. She isn’t spared from affairs of the heart however, as Argan’s adventurous brother Beralde (Filip Amborski) is smitten with her and agrees to help her in exchange for a kiss. Her brother Guy (Tyler Elwell) is the newest addition to the chaotic household, recently hired as the valet. He is the proxy for the audience, watching the overly complex, increasingly ridiculous situations the other characters get themselves into with good-natured perplexity.
Todd Chittenden fills the extremes of Argan’s character admirably, ranging from pitiful to angry to loving. As I watched opening night, I would get mad at Argan for being selfish because I could see he had a good heart, and I wanted him to follow it. Robertson plays his emotional foil with finesse. Toinette often seems to be the only adult in the room, but her emotional maturity is tempered with a sense of humor and her own fallibility. The daughters are clearly the life of the household. Angelique is willfully, determinedly naive and Louison firmly dour. Resendez and Hall play opposite sides of a coin without sacrificing the strong sisterly bond. Their stepmother Beline strains Argan’s loyalties while coddling him, all to con him out of his riches. Redwine plays such a mercurial and conniving villain, if she were allowed a mustache, she would twirl it! Her partner in crime Monsieur de Bonnefoi has an unfortunate reaction to dishonesty, which Nipkau clearly delights in taking to maximum physical comedy. He gives the same comedic intensity to Dr. Purgon as a self-important quack we love to hate. Cueva and Stephan Chittenden also play their father and son duo with physically extreme and opposite mannerisms to great effect. Natharent is truly gallant as the hopeless romantic Cleante. Amborski likewise eats up the stage with the life-loving, adventurous (and also hopelessly romantic) Beralde. The elder brothers are opposites much as the sisters.
There are many over-the-top personalities competing for attention on the stage, but directors Merrik D. Yra and Abigail Camerino give them space to be their entire, unique selves in turn to deliver maximum comedic impact. There is a lot of nonsense happening, and poor Guy is in the middle of it all. Elwell plays him as the only truly sane one, even more so than his sister. He reminds the audience that no, none of this is normal — yes, you can laugh and roll your eyes at the absurdities. Most of the plot lines wrap up in a comfortably predictable way while some are surprising. The twists ground the story, creating a satisfying antidote to existential ailments you may be suffering from at the moment.
North Coast Repertory Theatre’s production of The Imaginary Invalid runs through June 13 at the 5th & D Street Theater. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Visit ncrt.net, email ncrtboxoffice@gmail.com or call (707) 442-6278.
Doranna “dar” Benker Gilkey (she/her) is a local business owner and story lover who would like this year of the fire horse to calm the fuck down already.
COMING SOON
Ferndale Repertory Theatre tunes up for The Music Man starting May 29 and running through June 28. Visit ferndalerep.org or call (707) 786-5483.
This article appears in In it for the Glory.