We had our meet and greet for The Imaginary Invalid yesterday, and I just wanted to give you the inside scoop. This adaptation of Moliere's last comedy is going to be nuts. Lots of modern touches, a set with two giant turntables, a French maid, a "steaming sexpot," spontaneous music and a dance number in doctor scrubs (all of this, of course is subject to change, but it gives you an idea of what you're in for). The director David Schweizer said the theme of the production is expect the unexpected.
Also, the play—about a hypochondriac trying to get his daughter to marry a doctor so he won't have to pay medical bills—is packed full of both low and high brow humor (think witty double entendres and fart jokes). Keep an eye on the Rep web site for a bodily function joke contest and some wacky videos, possibly starring sock puppets.
So a French maid walks in a bar...
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The Imaginary Invalid
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
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My wife and I are Seattle Rep patrons with season tickets stretching back 16 years. My own community theatre volunteer work runs 30+ years (lighting design, set construction, boardmember…etc). I usually can find SOMETHING redeemable in just about any play, which makes our complete dislike for the current production of "The Imaginary Invalid" quite unique (unless you count the current artistic director’s debut “King Stag” which we suffered until intermission then joined a 40+ patron exodus). Do you see any pattern developing here?
The Rep should challenge its audience so I certainly do not expect to enjoy or fully understand every performance. If I did then organizational atrophy might soon follow to the detriment of all. That said, nevertheless we joined a dozen others who walked out of last Thursday's performance BEFORE intermission. We simply could not stomach the distasteful waste of our time and the actor's talents that evening. We have told every friend, acquaintance and stranger waiting in a line within earshot, to avoid “The Imaginary Invalid”. It is bathroom humor that tries to pass as campy farce. Our friends should avoid it for the same reason they would refrain from renting low-brow movies from NetFlix; life is too short to waste on senseless trash.
I am taking the time to post this comment for the hundreds of other REP patrons who won’t bother, but like us will begin shopping around for other season ticket options. We are looking at Intiman, and ACT as our season ticket choice rather than an occasional single ticket purchase. Not that we wouldn’t still buy single show tickets for REP productions in the future as we now do for Intiman. The August Wilson cycle, Bernard Shaw’s – Misalliance and numerous others were tremendously fine productions, but in our opinion the REP’s artistic director has failed repeatedly to understand this market and has demonstrated a serious lapse of judgment which a few good productions will not salvage. Like others we will vote with our feet while younger new to Seattle patrons fill the void. Perhaps they are an easier crowd to please, only time will tell, but mobility is certainly one of their signature characteristics, so get used to patron churn and a dumbing down of your legacy of quality theatre.
Mark Early & Lolly Bates
Seattle, WA.
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