University of Virginia Library

Va. Players Review

'The Miser': Putting It All Together

By Steve Wells
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

After starting their five play
season with two ambitious but
ultimately unsatisfying productions,
the Virginia Players have
finally put it all together with their
current offering of Moliere's "The
Miser," which opened Monday
night to the enthusiastic appreciation
of the near-sellout crowd at
Minor Hall.

There is almost a poetic justice
in the positive result inasmuch as
the two men who deserve the most
credit displayed much talent and
promise in last fall's productions.
Charles Howard, having proven his
capabilities as an actor in the title
role of "Pantagleize," now proves
that he is equally as adept as a
director. And Paul Kuritz, who
staged "Mother Courage & Her
Children," has switched — temporarily
at least — to acting, and he
offers a beautifully calculated portrayal
of Moliere's famous usurper.

The pair's efforts have been
primarily geared towards the evocation
of laughter, and they were
handsomely rewarded by the loud
guffaws which penetrated the
theatre Monday evening. They have
capitalized on most all of the
humor this classic comedy has to
offer and, in one instance, have
taken the liberty of adding a
blockbuster line of their own,
which when delivered by Mr. Kuritz
half-way through the second act
sends the audience into prolonged
convulsions.

Farcical Shenanigans

"The Miser" has always been
one of my favorite comedies. Each
of its characters is driven into the
play's farcical shenanigans by an
emotional force which is recognizably
human. Harpagon's love is
money and all of his actions are
carried out with that in mind.
Similarly, his daughter, Elise, and
son, Cleante, are in love with Valere
and Mariane, respectively, and all
they want is their father's consent
for marriage.

The remarkable thing about the
play is that, cunning as they are, all
of the characters are likeable, and
therefore we want them all to
achieve their diversified goals.
Although we sympathize with Elise
and Cleate's predicament, we do
not begrudge Harpagon for his
negligence of their pleas, because
Harpagon cannot understand them;
he is a victim of his diseased
cash-register mind and is powerless
to change it. As long as he has his
money box, he can function and
rule, but when it is stolen, he is a
helpless, pathetic creature.

That Moliere could give this
situation as much comic dimension
as he did is testimonial to his
genius. That Mr. Howard can put it
on a stage and make it work is
testimonial to his theatrical awareness.

Spirited Staging

Mr. Howard's staging is always
crisp, spirited, and very physical.
Much of the humor he initiates can
be best described as refined slapstick.
He has a very obvious eye for
detail and his array of comically
inventive directorial touches is as
endless and varied as it is effective.
On occasion Mr. Howard perhaps
gets a bit carried away, but on the
whole he's done an outstanding job,
and the performances he has
extracted from his cast are generally
good and, in Mr. Kuritz' case,
extraordinary.

Broad Characterization

Mr. Kuritz has a great deal of
fun with Harpagon and his characterization
is very broad. Prancing
around the stage like an unkempt
elf and threatening to strike those
who do not do exactly as he wishes,
Mr. Kuritz is quite wonderful. And
his interpretation is perfectly valid,
for he heightens the ridiculousness
of his character. Every time he
cocks his arm back to hit somebody,
we know if he ever swung he
would probably miss his target and
hit himself.

What is most amazing about Mr.
Kuritz' performance is his sense of
what is funny and his ability to
carry it out. His timing has
split-second accuracy and his
double-takes, throw-away lines,
unique laughs, and vocal modulations
always seem just right for
the particular occasion. He is
especially amusing when, after
taking the audience into his
confidence, he accuses them of
being thieves and stalks up the
center aisle to see which one stole
his treasure (Mr. Howard made one
of his few mistakes in not throwing
a spot on him in this scene).

Satin And Frills

While it is quite definitely Mr.
Kuritz and Mr. Howard's evening,
there are some noteworthy supporting
performances. Robin John
Mason, decked out in satin and
frills as Cleante, is splendid, while
Eleanor Sweatt as Elise and Sally
Cary Booker as Mariane are refreshingly
lovely and graceful. Reba
Wilburn seems wrong for the part
of Frosine the matchmaker and
there is something missing in Mark
Pilkinton's Valere, but these portrayals
are really no targets for
criticism.

Lifeless Interpretation

Where the acting is downright
disappointing is in David LaVine's
lifeless interpretation of Harpagon's
cook and coachman and Gordon
Stevens' relatively unexciting turn
as Cleante's manservant. Russell
Gustafson, however, makes the
most of his brief appearance at the
end as Monsieur Anseime, a character
who I have always wished
Moliere had introduced earlier in
the play.

This is a liberal treatment of a
classic comedy, which — thanks to
Mssrs. Howard and Kuritz — proves
just how enjoyable college productions
can at times be. Ah, Moliere!
Ah, Players! Ah, success!

("The Miser" will be presented
nightly in Minor Hall through
Saturday.)