The Imaginary Invalid
January 11 — February 6
On the Main Stage
By Molière
in an adaptation by Constance Congdon
Directed by Chris Coleman
“Glossy and handsomely appointed…Crowd-pleaser? You bet, and deservedly so.” —Bob Hicks, the Oregonian
Love is funny. Love is trickery. Love is…smelly? It’s certainly a merry-go-round of misplaced desires and hidden agendas in Constance Congdon’s fresh and hilarious new take on Molière’s skewering of a health care crisis from an entirely different century. To quell his growing pile of medical bills, Monsieur Argan, a chronic hypochondriac, will go to any length to marry his daughter off to a doctor. Of course, his daughter has other ideas. A narcotic cocktail of romantic triangles, double entendres and mistaken identities ensues, promising to leave you gasping, giggling and possibly…in stitches.
Performance times:
Tuesday - Sunday evenings at 7:30 pm
Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm
Thursday matinees at noon
A full list of performances and dates will appear when you enter the Buy Tickets section of the website.
Running time for The Imaginary Invalid is approximately 2 hours with one intermission.
To learn more about the cast and creative team for The Imaginary Invalid, click here.
Reviews and Comment
Alison Hallett | The Portland Mercury [Review 27 Jan 2011]
Portland Center Stage’s current mainstage production is an adaptation of Molière’s The Imaginary Invalid, about an elderly hypochondriac (David Margulies, AKA the mayor from Ghostbusters!) who tries to marry off his daughter to a doctor, in hopes of snagging free medical attention.
I can safely say that one thing I never expected to see at PCS was an old man analyzing the bouquet of his flatulence like a fine wine, but Constance Congdon’s adaptation leaves no fart joke unmade.
read moreMarie | Every Day Is a Miracle [Review 25 Jan 2011]
This afternoon Mike and I saw “The Imaginary Invalid” at Portland Center Stage (PCS) after a nice lunch at Noodles (love their tomato basil bisque) and a browse in Powell’s.
“The Imaginary Invalid” is a broad farce written by the French playwright Moliere in 1673. It’s the tale of an older man, Argan, who is a desperate hypochondriac. It’s a biting satire on the snake oil practice of medicine at the time. Argan pays a fortune for pills and potions that he believes will relieve him of his horrific flatulence and bowel irritation. He’s convinced he’s on death’s door, and this idea is encouraged by his unscrupulous doctor and even-more-unscrupulous young and conniving wife, Beline (who only wants to get her hands on his money).
read more
Production blog
IS MY REVIEW YOUR REVIEW?
19 January 2011 & Posted by Chris Coleman
Chris Coleman and Bob Hicks (Theater Critic with The Oregonian) debate how our preconceptions color how we discuss a classic play.
MoreThe Imaginary Invalid’s Cast and Creative Team
11 January 2011 & Posted by Kinsley Suer
Introducing the cast and creative team of The Imaginary Invalid!
MoreOn Souffles, Corsets and Moliere
05 January 2011 & Posted by Chris Coleman
Check in on The Imaginary Invalid cast as they prepare to move onstage.
More- 04 Jan 2011
- HOLY COW THESE COSTUMES ARE GORGEOUS
- 03 Jan 2011
- Sounds.like.Portland. Michael the Blind
- 18 Dec 2010
- Imagining an Invalid
