From the Oct 27, 2006 issue of The Cape Codder

Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School News

"Le Malade Imaginaire"

On Oct. 17, Madame Mackenzie, 30 eighth-graders and three parents from Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School traveled to Boston to attend a performance by the National Theater at Massachusetts College of Art, of Moliére's "Le Malade Imaginaire." Prior to the trip, the students spent several classes discussing the play, other works by the author, and the historical context of his life and work.

Students read several scenes and a few dialogues in French. Moliére (real name Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) was an actor and author, in 17th century France who staged satiric comedies that commented on the institutions and issues of his time. He was the first to use family situations and the foibles of eccentric main characters to point out the failings and hypocrisies of the rich and powerful. While other works critiqued the pretensions of the nouveau-riche classes, the phoniness of pseudo intellectuals, religious hypocrisy, financial greed, and generally the willingness of people to be duped when their vanity is flattered.

"Le Malade Imaginaire" is the story of a hypochondriac who lets himself be victimized by the medical establishment of the time. Moliére had been suffering from tuberculosis for two years and was very familiar with the intimidating rituals, arcane language and failures of doctors. Moliére also used the family relationships of the characters to show their foolishness and add to the comedy, a precursor of the situation comedy of today.

Main characters often insist their daughters or sons marry against their wishes and the problems are usually solved with the help of clever, realistic servants. Following the performance, the students took advantage of a question and answer session with the young actors to learn about their interpretations of the play and their life on tour with the production. The National Theater stages a variety of dramatic and musical performances for students around the country.

After the play, the whole group paraded down Huntington Avenue to the Colonade Hotel where students enjoyed lunch at Brasserie Jo, ordering in French their Croque Monsieur et Frites, Salade, Soupe de Jour, Poulet en Paillarde and Mousse for dessert. They chatted with the waiter and Maitre d'Hétel, practicing their "merci" and "s'il vous plaét." Everything about the lunch gave them a taste of the experience of lunching in a Parisian brasserie."