BWW Reviews: THE LIAR in Westport

If your memory of French plays is from high school French classes, it's time to rediscover it with the Westport Country Playhouse's production of David Ives's brilliant "translaptation" of Pierre Corneille's 1643 hilarious comedy, The Liar (Le Menteur).

Que veut dire "translaptation?" It's not your typical translation from one language to another. Ives, who was not a former interpreter, describes it as "a translation with a heavy dose of adaptation," but there's nothing heavy about they play. He used his French dictionary to translate Le Menteur, a play with which he was totally unfamiliar. His play is neither a word-for-word translation nor a highbrow new translation. It's a brilliant retelling of a terrific story in any language. And while it has some elements of Shakespeare's greatest comedies, it's more fluid and less intimidating because the language is fresh and contemporary. What's more, Ives wrote it in verse. Do not groan and do not click to another webpage. This is not a serious, strict, you-must-appreciate-this bumpity, bumpity rhyme time. Rhyming couplets haven't been so much fun and exciting since David Hirson's first play, La Bête.

Here's the plot. Dorante (Aaron Krohn) impresses Clarice (Kate MacCluggage) and her friend, Lucrece (Monique Barbee), in the Jardin des Tuileries. He tells them that he recently returned from the war in Germany. The problem is that from the moment Dorante opens his mouth, there's another "dupe du jour." To him, "All the world's a lie, and all the men and women merely liars," and he's the best. He decides to court Clarice, but confuses her name with Lucrece (pronounced in the play to rhyme with Clarice). His father, Géronte (Brian Reddy), appears and announces that he has found someone for him to marry. The mademoiselle is none other than Clarice, but Dorante still believes that the girl he loves is Lucrece, so he concocts another lie that he was forced into marriage and will soon become a father. Clarice is secretly engaged to Dorante's childhood friend, Alcippe (Philippe Bowgen). Dorante then tells Alcippe that he spent the whole night entertaining a beautiful lady and five companions on five boats with four choirs and a sumptuous meal of six courses. "An unimagined life is not worth living," he says. Alcippe, believing that Dorante was with his fiancée, challenges Dorante to a duel. To add to these comings and goings are his truth-telling servant Cliton (Rusty Ross), Dorante's servant, Alcippe's confidante, Philiste (Jay Russell), and Lucrece and Clarice's maids, Isabelle and Sabine (both played by Rebekah Brockman). Every character who was lied to by Dorante is furious with him, but they are all happy at the end of the play.

The book is a romp filled with clever wordplay and twists, which director Penny Metropulos captures flawlessly. The cast is definitive. Aaron Krohn is charming, dashing and hysterically funny as Dorante. You see him swell with delight as he conducts a master class about telling lies effectively. Rusty Ross is terrific as Cliton, straight from the get-go with his opening speech in which he asks people to turn off their cellphones and their brains. Brian Reddy is a hoot as Dorante's exasperated father. Monique Barbee and Kate MacCluggage are delightful as Lucrece and Clarice. Philippe Bowgen is perfect as the jealous, high-strung Alcippe. Jay Russell is in fine form as Alcippe's friend. Rebekah Brockman nearly steals the play as she switches from the lusty Isabelle to her prudish twin Sabine as Jonah Verdon did as he played boy and girl twins in Seth Rudetsky's DISASTER: The Musical.

Kudos also to scenic designer Kristen Robinson. Her contemporary stage with its obviously artificial full-blooming arching artificial trees and black and white barrels work well with Jessica Ford's traditional costume design. It adds to the concept of the play and it's amusing to see Dorante pull out a fake bird from a fake tree. Complementing the set are Mathew Richard's excellent lighting design and David Burdries' sound. Michael Rossmy's fight direction is an unexpected finger fight instead of traditional duel, and it is enjoyable to watch.

Got pre-teens or teens? By all means, introduce them to French theatre with The Liar. They will love the puns and the slapstick and not realize that they are seeing classic French theatre. The show runs through May 23 at the Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court. For tickets or more information, call 203-227-4177 or visit www.westportplayhouse.org.

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