"The Imaginary Invalid," the last of French playwright Moliere's works, is being performed by Tufts' very own Pen, Paint, and Pretzels (3Ps). Starting Thursday, the show is directed by senior Sarah Ullman and produced by sophomore Lina Stolyar. The talented actors keep the audience engaged throughout with near-constant humor and do not let any part of the Balch Arena Theatre go to waste.
The story centers on a self-absorbed man named Argan (senior Dan Casey) who, though in perfect health, convinces himself that he is ill. The audience is able to see all that he is oblivious to, which offers entertaining dramatic irony and quirky asides from most of the other characters. With a gold-digging wife (senior Emily Code), a love-struck daughter (sophomore Hannah Wellman) and a ridiculous servant (sophomore Emily Pantalone), Argan confronts numerous obstacles while trying to sell his daughter into marriage in order to buy the health care that he does not really need.
According to Ullman, the movie "Grey Gardens" (1975) was the main inspiration for the stage's simplistic setup, which features seemingly trivial props that tell tales all their own. In "Grey Gardens," the mansion where the characters live was once an aesthetically pleasing building, but neglect and age turned it into an abandoned mess. Similarly, the round floor of the theater is covered with medicines, cleaning products and trinkets, with a chair in the middle raised roughly seven feet off the ground by blocks. Neither Argan nor those around him seem to notice the mess in the room, as they are too caught up in their own worlds to pay it any attention.
The chair seems to be the pivotal prop, as it symbolizes not only the difficulty that others have understanding Argan, but also the high pedestal upon which Argan places himself and how this perspective obscures his view of reality. While there are no curtains that allow for scenery change, lighting is used in between acts for set changes. Lighting also effectively shifts the audience's gaze to certain characters. Music played during the acts' inceptions and finales reminds viewers of the show's generally playful nature — effectively setting and then reinforcing the mood.
"The Imaginary Invalid" refreshingly uses the entire space in Balch Arena as opposed to limiting the action to the stage itself. There are numerous times throughout the play when actors are heard (but not seen) from different sides of the oval or will appear at the top of a towering staircase and make a dramatic entrance. No part of the set is wasted, which keeps the audience on its toes.
The play can be enjoyed by a wide audience as it "incorporates physical, intelligent, and ‘dirty' humor," according to director Ullman. Due to this eclectic array of humor, the plot stays captivating.
Though the show's plot itself is ironic, more irony can be found behind the scenes. According to Ullman, the play came together well but with some struggle due to very real invalids who were involved in the production itself. The outbreak of H1N1, seasonal flu and simple common colds hit cast and crew hard and negatively impacted rehearsal attendance, which made it more difficult to polish the play. Despite this setback, it is clear that each member of 3Ps went the extra mile in order to compensate for the setbacks.
"The Imaginary Invalid" will run Nov. 19 through Nov. 21. Shows begins at 8 p.m. in the Balch Arena Theater. Tickets are $7.
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This article originally incorrectly stated that Ullman & Stolyar were co-directors. This mistake was corrected on 11/20/09.
