THE MISANTHROPE

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

First broadcast: Sunday 10 March 2013

Listen at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r5n6j

Read ‘The Misanthrope’ online at Internet Archive:  http://archive.org/details/misanthropecomed00molirich

The Misanthrope by Molière In a new version by Roger McGough from the Everyman Playhouse and English Touring Theatre Co. production.

As part of Baroque Spring, Radio 3's season of Baroque music and culture, and following on from the Sunday concert, a new adaptation of this classic French play performed live in front of an audience at Powis Castle.

How to lose friends and infuriate people – a mockery of manners and morals set amid 17th century French aristocracy. Disgusted with French society, where powdered fops gossip in code and bejewelled coquettes whisper behind fans, poet Alceste embarks on a one-man crusade against fakery, frippery and forked tongues. But could the woman he adores be the worst culprit of them all? And in this rarefied world will his revolution prove merely revolting..?

Dubois ….. Neil Caple
Philante ….. Simon Coates
Clitandre ….. Leander Deeny
Oronte ….. Daniel Goode
Eliante ….. Alison Pargeter
Acaste ….. George Potts
Celime ….. Zara Tempest-Walters
Arsione ….. Harvey Virdi

Music by Peter Coyte

Directed for the stage by Gemma Bodinetz

Produced and directed for radio by Pauline Harris.