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Molière was a satirist who had no favorite subjects. The 17th-century French playwright gave an equal-opportunity skewering to nearly every stratum of society. Lawyers, clergy and the aristocracy were just a few of the targets of his witty farces.
Santa Clara University's Center of Performing Arts kicks off its theater season on Nov. 14 with one such cleverly critical comedy, The Learned Ladies, in which Molière spoofs pomposity and intellectualism.
The bossy Philaminte has her husband, Chrysale, firmly under her thumb. Despite his objections, she has turned their home into an academic salon, and even fired the maid for using incorrect grammar. She is counseling one daughter, Armande, against the idea of ever marrying, while nevertheless making plans to marry off her other daughter, Henriette, to a pretentious poet who, unsuspected by Philaminte, appears to have a less-than-honorable motive in pressing for the union.
Henriette, meanwhile, has her heart set on someone else--the same someone that Armande secretly loves--and Chrysale, with prodding from his brother, is trying to work up enough courage to intervene in the whole mess.
The Learned Ladies is directed by Mark Monday, coordinator of acting and musical theater at Santa Clara University.
Santa Clara University presents The Learned Ladies, Nov. 1422, at the university's Center for Performing Arts, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara. Tickets are $5$14. For more information, call 408.554.4105 or see www.scu.edu/cpa.
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