The Imaginary Invalid
80 Minutes
The Imaginary Invalid - 2025 Off-Broadway History , Info & More
New World Stages
340 W. 50th Street New York, NY 10019
In Molière’s best loved comedy, Monsieur Argan is a notorious hypochondriac whose nonexistent illnesses blind him to the con men and women (his new wife) who prey on his fears to fatten their purses. His plan: marry his daughter to a doctor so he'll have free round-the-clock on-site healthcare for the rest of his life. In Molière’s best loved comedy, Monsieur Argan is a notorious hypochondriac whose nonexistent illnesses blind him to the con men and women (his new wife) who prey on his fears to fatten their purses. His plan: marry his daughter to a doctor so he'll have free round-the-clock on-site healthcare for the rest of his life. Newly translated by Mirabelle Ordinaire and adapted for Red Bull by Jeffrey Hatcher, The Imaginary Invalid is a brilliant satire of doctors, lawyers, and would-be patients who take self-care to staggering levels of pathological solipsism. A comic whirlwind of pills, lovers, therapies, disguises, vaccinations, impersonations, masks, mindfulness and miracle cures.
The Imaginary Invalid - 2025 - Off-Broadway Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR The Imaginary Invalid
“The Imaginary Invalid” Proves Laughter’s the Best Medicine
7 / 10
Jesse Berger’s direction is sure-fire, and all the performances are good, though Mark Linn-Baker’s Argan could have been a bit more menacing to my taste. Known for a certain cuddliness, he misses the tyrant at the center of the character, which makes it feel like a missed opportunity to provide more tension to heighten the stakes. Emilie Kouatchou is charmingly vivacious as Angélique and Sarah Stiles makes a meal of the randy Toinette’s unflappability. When she’s called upon to sing, she fills the small New World Stage with her large voice.
Red Bull’s treatment of Molière’s ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ shows promise; side effects may vary
7 / 10
The Imaginary Invalid, much like Molière’s other works, explores social structures and infidelity through satire and exaggerated physicality (there’s lots of enema jokes and butt massages). While there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, as a whole, the company doesn’t necessarily deliver a remedy for the dark times we’re living in, but it’s a pleasant enough painkiller. And at 85 minutes, there’s no fear of suffering from Argan’s diagnosis of glutial amnesia (aka dead butt).
Category
The Imaginary Invalid History
Other Productions of The Imaginary Invalid
| 1917 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1967 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 2025 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
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