National Theatre of Greece — Garage
First performance: November 19, 2004
Last performance: May 22, 2005
The Cabal of Hypocrites or Molière
Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Cabal of Hypocrites, perhaps better known by its second title, Molière, was originally staged at the Moscow Art Theatre on February 16, 1936. However, following a libellous article in Pravda, the party newspaper, on March 9, titled “External Brilliance and Pseudo-Content”, the play was quickly taken down after a total of seven performances. While a translation of the play into German had already been published in Berlin in 1932, the play was first printed in Russian in 1962, thirty years later. This is not at all surprising when one considers the adventures the play had gone through before even getting to those seven performances.
Bulgakov began writing the play in October 1929. He finished the first draft in December. In January, he read it at the Moscow Art Theatre, where it was immediately agreed upon that the play would be presented. However, the censorship committee felt differently on the matter, banning the play in March. This event prompted Bulgakov to write a letter to the USSR government, requesting that they either allow him to leave the country or provide him with the means to live in his homeland. After several revisions and cuts to the text, in October 1931, the Committee allowed the play to be performed, but only in Moscow and Leningrad. At the request of the Committee, the play also retained the title Molière.
[…] Leonidas Karatzas, Regarding Molière. From the performance programme, page 19.
Source: National Theatre of Greece
Translated by: Leonidas Karatzas
Directed by: Stathis Livathinos
Lyrics translated by: Stratis Paschalis
Original lyrics: Stratis Paschalis
Set Design: Thalia Istikopoulou
Costume Design: Thalia Istikopoulou
Musical Composition: Thodoris Abazis
Choreographer: Kyriakos Kosmidis
Movement Supervisor: Kyriakos Kosmidis
Lighting Design: Zafeiris Epameinondas
Fencing Instructor: Gennadios Patsis
Assistant Directors: Maria Savvidou | Natalia Stylianou
Assistant Set & Costume Designer: Tatiana Souchoroukov
Assistant Lighting Designer: Thodoris Michopoulos
Musician (violin): Petros Giorkatzis
Musician (cello): Marili Milia
Musician (harpsichord): Aris Troupakis
Cast:
Charles Varlet de La Grange, an actor known as “The Secretary”: Vassilis Andreou
Jean-Jacques Bouton, Molière’s servant, stage manager, lighting designer, etc: Giorgos Dambasis
Marquis de Lessac, a gambler: Nikos Gialelis
Marquis d’Orsigny, known as One-Eye, a musketeer: Stathis Grapsas
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin de Molière, a famous playwright and actor: Dimitris Imellos
Louis XIV, the Sun King of France: Nikos Kardonis
Marquis de Charron, Archbishop of Paris: Yannis Mavritsakis | Stathis Livathinos
Armande Béjart de Molière, an actress: Mary Bouga | Eleni Roussinou
Masked Stranger: Mary Bouga | Eleni Roussinou
Courtier: Mary Bouga | Eleni Roussinou
A Fair Shoemaker, the King’s jester: Dimitris Pananikolaou
Charlatan with harpsichord: Gennadios Patsis
Father Bartholomew, an itinerant preacher: Gennadios Patsis
Brother Faith, a member of the Cabal of the Holy Scriptures: Nikos Pyrokakos
Courtier: Nikos Pyrokakos
Madeleine Béjart, an actress: Maria Savvidou | Sofia Tsinari
Mariette Rivale, an actress: Natalia Stylianou
Brother Strength, a member of the Cabal of the Holy Scriptures: Stratos Sopylis
Courtier: Stratos Sopylis