The Big Book of Moliere Monologues
Hilarious Performance Pieces from Our Greatest Comic Playwright
adapted by Timothy Mooney
Preface by William Luce, Illustrations by David C. Jensen |
 
|
|
$19.95 per book
A collection of over 160 of Moliere's funniest monologues in new rhymed iambic pentameter versions by actor/author Timothy Mooney (author of Acting at the Speed of Life and Moliere than Thou), drawn from new versions of seventeen of Moliere's plays, including Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, Don Juan, The School for Wives and The Imaginary Invalid.
The book works as introduction to the life and work of Moliere, as well as providing a rare resource of new comic classical monologues for the actor preparing to audition. The text gives thorough introduction to each of the seventeen plays, with introductory plot capsules, as well as contextual information for each individual piece, making each monologue and each play easily graspable to the actor that needs to know why he or she is speaking these particular words, and to the scholar eager to find out why these plays caused such a sensation surrounding the man often dubbed as the "French Shakespeare."
The book includes a distilled version of Mooney's acting text, with essential guides toward the performance of classical verse monologues, and provides stopwatch-timings of each piece, as a guide for actors who are working under specific time limits. The volume features a preface by William Luce (author of "The Belle of Amherst," and "Barrymore"), and illustrations by David C. Jensen.
|  |
|
 |
| "A masterwork...I've never seen a better compilation." |
| --William Luce, Author, The Belle of Amherst and Barrymore |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Full-length, 60-75 minutes
3 females, 6 males, 2 either
(9-11 actors possible: 3-6 females, 5-8 males)
$75.00 per performance; $8.99 per book
When the peasant woodcutter, Sganarelle, is mistaken as a doctor, he is surprised to find himself winning the respect of everyone in town. However, when he discovers that the source of a patient's inability to speak is the dread of her arranged marriage, Sganarelle helps her run off with her boyfriend, which leaves him, the "doctor," at the mercy of the girl's vengeful father. This rhymed-verse adaptation of Moliere's play uses wit and rhyme to tell the story of an ignorant peasant who is elevated to a position of authority, and the hilarity that ensues when no one can tell the difference. (A short version of this play is also available.)
|  |
|
|
| "The wit of his quill brings quite a thrill... Audience members of all ages are in for a delightful hour of mishaps and misunderstandings." |
| --Johnnie-Margaret McConnell, The Norman Transcript |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Short, 40-50 minutes
3 females, 6 males, 2 either
(9-11 actors possible: 3-5 females, 5-8 males)
$35.00 per performance; $7.99 per book
When the peasant woodcutter, Sganarelle, is mistaken as a doctor, he is surprised to find himself winning the respect of everyone in town. However, when he discovers that the source of a patient's inability to speak is the dread of her arranged marriage, Sganarelle helps her run off with her boyfriend, which leaves him, the "doctor," at the mercy of the girl's vengeful father. This rhymed-verse adaptation of Moliere's play uses wit and rhyme to tell the story of an ignorant peasant who is elevated to a position of authority, and the hilarity that ensues when no one can tell the difference. (A full-length version of this play is also available.)
|  |
|
|
| "Spoof, satire delight audience... nearly irresistible." |
| --John Brandenburg, The Oklahoman |
|
|
Don Juan
or, The Stone Guest
adapted by Timothy Mooney
from the play by Moliere |
|
|
Comedy
Short, 35-50 minutes
4 females, 13 males, 6 either (8-25 actors possible: 3-9 females, 5-19 males)
$35.00 per performance; $7.99 per book
Hypocrite and reckless libertine Don Juan moves from one intimate conquest to the next, abandoning multiple wives and deceiving countless others. One of his latest victims, the chaste Elvire, has even left the convent for him. As Don Juan's wild ways begin to catch up to him, he is threatened by Elvire's brothers, rebuked by his own father, and repeatedly warned by his sanctimonious servant, but he refuses to believe that he will ever face the consequences of his actions. Scorning naysayers to the point of staging a phony religious conversion, Don Juan ignores the signs, even a statue of a dead man that comes to life, warning him of Heaven's pending retribution.
|  |
|
|
|
Comedy
Full-length, 105-135 minutes
4 females, 8 males, 6 either
(12-25 actors possible: 4-12 females, 1-19 males)
$75.00 per performance; $8.99 per book
The hypochondriac Argan wants nothing more than to be sick, or at least to be thought of as sick, and tended to by Doctors and Family (notably his scheming wife). His desire for treatment outweighs his judgment, as he tries to set his daughter up to marry an idiot doctor-in-training. Only the brilliant collaboration of the maid, Toinette, with his brother, Beralde, can foil the wife, conquer the doctors, and satisfy Argan. This rhymed-verse adaptation of Moliere's classic comedy ends with a hilarious Latin-gibberish musical finale, which proclaims Argan as a doctor in his own right. (A short version of this play is also available.)
|  |
|
|
| "A witty adaptation of the classic Moliere comedy about a hypochondriac and
his obsession with doctors -- in rhymed couplets, no less. ... Tim Mooney's
new translation is funny and easy to follow..." |
| --Cool Cleveland |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Short, 35-45 minutes
4 females, 8 males, 1 either
(11-18 actors possible: 4-10 females, 7-14 males)
$35.00 per performance; $7.99 per book
The hypochondriac Argan wants nothing more than to be sick, or at least to be thought of as sick, and tended to by Doctors and Family (notably his scheming wife). His desire for treatment outweighs his judgment, as he tries to set his daughter up to marry an idiot doctor-in-training. Only the brilliant collaboration of the maid, Toinette, with his brother, Beralde, can foil the wife, conquer the doctors, and satisfy Argan. This rhymed-verse adaptation of Moliere's classic comedy ends with a hilarious Latin-gibberish musical finale, which proclaims Argan as a doctor in his own right. (A full-length version of this play is also available.)
|  |
|
|
| "A witty adaptation of the classic Moliere comedy about a hypochondriac and
his obsession with doctors -- in rhymed couplets, no less. ... Tim Mooney's
new translation is funny and easy to follow..." |
| --Cool Cleveland |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Short, 35-50 minutes
5 females, 8 males (11-13 actors possible: 5-10 females, 3-8 males)
$35.00 per performance; $7.99 per book
Philaminte is an educated woman who uses wit to rule her family with an iron fist. But she endangers the future of her daughter, Henriette, when she decides to marry her off to an insufferable poet, leaving Henriette's true love out in the cold. Chrysale, Philaminte's husband, is the only one with the ability to save his daughter. Will he have the courage to stand up to his wife or will he shrink from his right and responsibility to command the household?
|  |
|
|
|
Comedy
Full-length, 90-110 minutes
3 females, 6 males, 2 either
(8-11 actors possible: 3-6 females, 5-8 males)
$75.00 per performance; $8.99 per book
Alceste hates mankind. No one gives him the respect and honor he deserves. Although most people acknowledge his intelligence and wit, Alceste's flaw is his insistence on using those gifts against his fellow man as a demonstration of his own superiority. Even worse, Alceste has fallen helplessly in love with society's biggest coquette, the one woman whose outside affairs are destined to undermine his self-esteem, even as he is caught up amid the flurry of simultaneous court proceedings. Moliere captures human desires in all of their complexity in a psychological study that (in this adaptation) sparkles with wit in occasionally irreverent rhymed iambic pentameter. (A short version of this play is also available.)
|  |
|
|
| "Hilariously entertaining. ...Like the original, [Mooney] has penned Misanthrope entirely in rhymed couplets, obviously indulging himself in great fun in the process." |
| --Chicago Tribune |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Short, 35-50 minutes
3 females, 7 males, 1 either
(9-11 actors possible: 3-5 females, 5-8 males)
$35.00 per performance; $7.99 per book
Alceste hates mankind. No one gives him the respect and honor he deserves. Although most people acknowledge his intelligence and wit, Alceste's flaw is his insistence on using those gifts against his fellow man as a demonstration of his own superiority. Even worse, Alceste has fallen helplessly in love with society's biggest coquette, the one woman whose outside affairs are destined to undermine his self-esteem, even as he is caught up amid the flurry of simultaneous court proceedings. Moliere captures human desires in all of their complexity in a psychological study that (in this adaptation) sparkles with wit in occasionally irreverent rhymed iambic pentameter. (A full-length version of this play is also available.)
|  |
|
|
| "An ambitious undertaking, Mooney's adaptation employs clear, accessible language without compromising the meaning or too much of the play's 17th century decorum." |
| --Chicago Reader |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Full-length, 90-115 minutes
4 females, 10 males (11-14 actors possible: 3-8 females, 5-10 males)
$75.00 per performance; $8.99 per book
Harpagon loves nothing so much as his money, not even his own children. So, even though both his son and daughter have fallen in love with young, vital partners, Harpagon attempts to engage them to a rich widow and widower in their declining years. Making matters worse, Harpagon wants to marry his son's lover himself, his only regret being she has very little money as a dowry. This rhymed-verse adaptation of Moliere's classic comedy explores the fine line between money and love and the consequences of valuing the former over the latter. (A short version of this play is also available.)
|  |
|
|
| "The ingeniously constructed, teasing rhymes add a rich overlay of stylistic repartee to what is otherwise merely an outrageous situation... this Miser really does seem to jump off the page with new energy." |
| --H. Lee Murphy, Chicago Tribune |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Short, 38-45 minutes
4 females, 10 males (11-14 actors possible: 3-8 females, 5-10 males)
$35.00 per performance; $7.99 per book
Harpagon loves nothing so much as his money, not even his own children. So, even though both his son and daughter have fallen in love with young, vital partners, Harpagon attempts to engage them to a rich widow and widower in their declining years. Making matters worse, Harpagon wants to marry his son's lover himself, his only regret being she has very little money as a dowry. This rhymed-verse adaptation of Moliere's classic comedy explores the fine line between money and love and the consequences of valuing the former over the latter. (A full-length version of this play is also available.)
| |
|
|
| "Mooney's iambic pentameter enlivens the story and puts some extra punch in its punchlines... Thanks to Mooney's nimble pen and cast, The Miser makes for a generous evening of theater." |
| --Rick Moser, Pioneer Press |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Full-length, 75-95 minutes
3 females, 7 males, 2 either
(9-12 actors possible: 2-5 females, 5-9 males)
$75.00 per performance; $8.99 per book
The brazenly-conniving servant Scapin is the most devious and audacious character you'll ever encounter. Two young men, Octave and Leandre, enlist his help to save them after they pledge marriage to women their fathers wouldn't approve of. Improvising his way through treacherous turns and outrageous misbehavior, Scapin manages to help the two men and their brides, even managing to exact a personal revenge in the process. But when Scapin is caught in the middle of a trick and abandoned by his cohorts, will his scheming be enough to get him out of trouble unscathed? (A short version of this play is also available.)
|  |
|
|
| "Schemings is well-done, unique...excellent entertainment... Mooney's adaptation, combined with actors having genuine fun with their parts, makes for a tremendously humorous show." |
| --Jeffrey P. Brown, Great Lakes Bulletin |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Short, 37-45 minutes
3 females, 7 males, 2 either
(9-12 actors possible: 2-5 females, 5-9 males)
$35.00 per performance; $7.99 per book
The brazenly-conniving servant Scapin is the most devious and audacious character you'll ever encounter. Two young men, Octave and Leandre, enlist his help to save them after they pledge marriage to women their fathers wouldn't approve of. Improvising his way through treacherous turns and outrageous misbehavior, Scapin manages to help the two men and their brides, even managing to exact a personal revenge in the process. But when Scapin is caught in the middle of a trick and abandoned by his cohorts, will his scheming be enough to get him out of trouble unscathed? (A full-length version of this play is also available.)
| |
|
|
| "...makes the most of Moliere... The material is entertaining, Mooney's adaptation clever, and the production, a pleasure." |
| --Rick Moser, Pioneer Press (Illinois) |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Short, 35-50 minutes
3 females, 6 males (9 actors possible: 3-5 females, 4-6 males)
$35.00 per performance; $7.99 per book
Brothers Sganarelle and Ariste are entrusted with the upbringing of two orphaned sisters in this fast and funny Moliere adaptation. While Ariste lets his ward, Leonor, have total freedom, Sganarelle keeps his Isabelle locked up in preparation for the marriage he is planning. Still, Isabelle falls in love with Valere, a man she sees passing below her balcony. Through intrepid plotting, Isabelle passes messages to her intended through the unwitting Sganarelle, even dressing up as her loose-behaving sister to trick Sganarelle into supporting her marriage to Valere.
| |
|
|
|
Comedy
Full-length, 90-105 minutes
5 females, 5 males, 2 either
(12-15 actors possible: 4-7 females, 5-9 males)
$75.00 per performance; $8.99 per book
When the religious hypocrite Tartuffe ingratiates himself into the good graces of Orgon and his mother Mme. Pernelle, he is taken into their home and promised Orgon's daughter's hand in marriage (even as he secretly attempts to seduce Orgon's wife, Elmire). Everyone else in the family sees through Tartuffe's pose, and his machinations and hypocrisies are eventually exposed, but is it too late to save the family from eviction and to keep Orgon from being thrown in prison? Moliere's classic comedy satirizes religious hypocrisy, blind piety, and deceit, and this adaptation captures these themes in playful irreverent rhyme. (A short version of this play is also available.)
|  |
|
|
| "Accomplished and funny... Moliere would doubtless have enjoyed all of the contemporary guffaws that Mooney's irreverent version of this timeless comedy provokes from a modern audience." |
| --Windy City Times |
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Short, 40 minutes
5 females, 5 males, 2 either
(12-15 actors possible: 4-7 females, 5-9 males)
$35.00 per performance; $7.99 per book
When the religious hypocrite Tartuffe ingratiates himself into the good graces of Orgon and his mother Mme. Pernelle, he is taken into their home and promised Orgon's daughter's hand in marriage (even as he secretly attempts to seduce Orgon's wife, Elmire). Everyone else in the family sees through Tartuffe's pose, and his machinations and hypocrisies are eventually exposed, but is it too late to save the family from eviction and to keep Orgon from being thrown in prison? Moliere's classic comedy satirizes religious hypocrisy, blind piety, and deceit, and this adaptation captures these themes in playful irreverent rhyme. (A full-length version of this play is also available.)
| |
|
|
| "Accomplished and funny... Moliere would doubtless have enjoyed all of the contemporary guffaws that Mooney's irreverent version of this timeless comedy provokes from a modern audience." |
| --Chicago Tribune |
|
|
|
|
