Two versions of "Le Malade Imaginaire" will be staged. The first version adheres to the classical tradition of the Commedia Dell’arte, a theatrical form that originated in Italy and became popular in Europe in the 15th century.
The other is an adaptation titled "Le Praning Du Sining", written by Palanca Awardee George de Jesus III. In both versions, imagination is presented both as a destructive force resulting in pretension, prejudice and selfishness, and also as a creative stimulus that engenders love, care and honesty.
Directed by George de Jesus III, "Le Malade Imaginaire" will have shows on August 15, 17, and 18, and "Le Praning Du Sining" on August 22, 24, and 25, 2012 at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design & Arts Theater, 5th Floor CSB-SDA Building in Vito Cruz St., Manila.
Moliere’s play tells the story of Argan, a rich miserly hypochondriac wishing to have constant medical attention for free, who decides to marry his daughter Angelique to Thomas Diafoirus, a boring young doctor from a family of doctors.
But Angelique, in love with another young man named Cleante, rejects the plan of his father. Hilarity ensues as Angelique, Cleante, Argan’s maid Toinette and Argan's sibling Beralde all try to change Argan’s mind and expose the manipulations of his new wife, Beline.
In the adaptation, "Le Praning Du Sining", the character of Argan is transformed from a hypochondriac miser to a neurotic, paranoid and overly stressed artistic director named Arman. Fueled by his paranoia and the imagined troubles of the theater company he heads, he decides to cast showbiz personality/indie film actor Tom Toledo in the lead role of the play (a contemporary adaptation of Moliere’s "Imaginary Invalid") written by their resident playwright, Angeli.
But Angeli, who wrote the lead role for theater actor Clint, rejects the artistic vision of Arman. In the ensuing artistic differences and arguments, Angeli collaborates with the resident stage manager Toni and the dramaturg Vera to convince Arman to rethink his vision for the play and the theater company. Adding to the hilarity is the manipulation of the resident diva actress, Belinda, who desires a new lighting system so that she can still play ingénue roles even if she’s already in her 50’s.
Set in an imagined hyper-real and cartoon-like theater world, "Le Praning Du Sining" pokes fun at the pomposity of art and artists and takes potshots at everything from the travails of theater companies to the artistry of indie films, the vanity of artists, the spurious scribbling of bloggers, the popularity of Broadway musicals and even the writer himself.
"Le Malade Imaginaire/Le Praning Du Sining" features Stella Cañete, Martha Comia, Joshua Deocareza, Angelina Kanapi, Russel Legaspi, Issa Litton, Daniel Marx, Miguel Mendoza and Elle Velasco, with Joel Saracho and Reuben Uy playing Arman and Argan, respectively.
Again, "Le Malade Imaginaire" will have shows on August 15, 17, and 18, and "Le Praning Du Sining" on August 22, 24, and 25, 2012 at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design & Arts Theater, 5th Floor CSB-SDA Building in Vito Cruz St., Manila. Ticket prices are P300 (balcony) and P350 (orchestra).
For more information, contact Francesca Gonzalez 0917-5020531 or e-mail thevitocruzproject@gmail.com.