Wavering between comedy and tragedy, L'École des Femmes deals with the classical theme of conflict opposing the age of reason and the age of rebellion. However, Molière goes further than he had gone before with this play. In the relationship between Arnolphe, who thinks the world stops at his doorstep, and Agnès, shut out from the world, from which she has been sheltered, there are elements of mythology. For example, the blossoming of a woman, just like Pygmalion, the personal struggle of a man with his inescapable destiny. Maybe today we should be reading L'École d'Arnolphe as much as L'École des Femmes, after all he thinks he is leading the dance whereas he is always five scenes behind the other characters. However, it is he who is at the heart of the play. Obsessional and unhappy. Odious and poignant. Monstrous and human. Pensive and cognizant. An isolated conscience that the play, in creating an intimate relationship inside this vast mythical space, brings close to some two thousand minds each evening inside the Cour d'honneur at the Palais des papes. Arnolphe, just like the entire play, has brushes with tragedy. The performance could be placed in this incertitude of genres, recalling that Molière, who created the role, had just realised that he would never be accepted as a tragic actor, and that if he intended to say terrible things about humanity, he could only do it by making people laugh.
Distribution
Stage direction Didier Bezace
Arnolphe : Pierre Arditi
Chrysalde : Christian Bouillette
Alain : Gilles David
Oronte : Daniel Delabesse
Le Notaire et Enrique : Thierry Gibault
Agnès : Agnès Sourdillon
Georgette : Martine Thinières
Horace : Olivier Ythier
The little girl : Mona Vallery, Alexia Pio ou Gaïa Falvisaner (en alternance)
Artistic collaboration Laurent Caillon
Assistant direction Dyssia Loubatière
Stage design Philippe Marioge
Lights Marie Nicolas
Costumes Cidalia da Costa
Make-up Cécile Kretschmar
Production
Coproduction Théâtre de la Commune-CDN d'Aubervilliers, TNT-Théâtre national Toulouse-Midi-Pyrénées, TNP-Villeurbanne, Théâtre national de Marseille-La Criée, Les gémeaux-Sceaux-scène nationale, Scène nationale de Petit Quevilly, Théâtre du Muselet-scène nationale de Châlons en Champagne, Maison de la culture d'Amiens et Festival d'Avignon
Avec le soutien du Conseil régional d'Ile de France et du Conseil général de la Seine-Saint-Denis.
Avec le parrainage de France inter, Telerama, Ratp