The Misanthrope (short version)

The Misanthrope (short version) adapted by Timothy Mooney

(0)
Productions (5)
Comedy
|
35 - 50 minutes
3 W, 7 M, 1 Any (9-11 actors possible: 3-5 W, 5-8 M)
Set: The home of Celemine, in Paris.

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.)

Pricing Information

Min. Performance Fee* $55
Standard Edition $11.99
Stage Manager Edition $24.99
Archival Video License $75

*The per performance fee begins at $55. Your per performance fee will be provided during the ordering process.


Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

Play Details

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.)

  • Comedy
  • |
  • 35 - 50 minutes
  • 3 W, 7 M, 1 Any (9-11 actors possible: 3-5 W, 5-8 M)
  • Set: The home of Celemine, in Paris.
  • Standard Edition ISBN: 978-1-62384-305-2

Published Reviews

"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

"Mooney brings a wit and style to the stage that easily resonates with contemporary audiences. Anyone who enjoys the television series House will certainly like this play with its clever word play and philosophical insights. Mooney's adaptation -- written in rhymed iambic pentameter -- skewers the hypocrisies of conventional society and the little (and sometimes large) lies humans rely on to maintain appearances and social order."

Greenwood Index-Journal (South Carolina)

"Hilariously entertaining. ...Like the original, [Mooney] has penned Misanthrope entirely in rhymed couplets, obviously indulging himself in great fun in the process."

Chicago Tribune

"The play has been translated into a lyrical masterpiece imported into the 20th century and adapted for American audiences by Timothy Mooney. The intricate verses filled with puns and quips satirizing French high society presented quite a challenge for Mooney to deliver the full impact of the play without losing the proverbial wit in the translation. He reconstructed the dialogue with mastery, assuring Moliere's rediscovery among modern audiences."

CU-Denver Advocate

Production History

JUN 29, 2016 - JUL 01, 2016
Tarrant County College/NE Drama
HURST, TX United States
Tarrant County College/NE Drama HURST, TX United States
MAR 19, 2015 - MAR 20, 2015
Charleston County School Of The Arts
North Charleston, SC United States
Charleston County School Of The Arts North Charleston, SC United States
FEB 13, 2014 - FEB 22, 2014
Patrick Henry High School Drama Department
Roanoke, VA United States
Patrick Henry High School Drama Department Roanoke, VA United States
FEB 04, 2014 - FEB 04, 2014
Patrick Henry High School Drama Department
Roanoke, VA United States
Patrick Henry High School Drama Department Roanoke, VA United States
SEP 01, 2008 - DEC 01, 2008
Scituate High School
Scituate, MA United States
Scituate High School Scituate, MA United States
No upcoming productions.
No professional productions.

Awards (1)

Winner, Massachusetts District Competition (2008)