Playhouse Theatre, Sydney Opera House
August 31, 2018

Justin Fleming has forged a well-deserved reputation for his impressive adaptations of Molière plays, updated to contemporary times and written in verse with Australian vernacular thrown hilariously into the mix. Bell Shakespeare has already staged three of them: The School for Wives, Tartuffe and The Literati (co-produced with Griffin Theatre). In 2019, the company will produce Fleming’s new version of The Miser starring John Bell.

The Misanthrope, which is also co-produced with Griffin, has much of Fleming’s wonderfully clever, witty use of language with various rhyme schemes used for different characters. But dramatically it isn’t as lively, funny or engaging as the previous three productions.

Ben Gerrard and Danielle Cormack. Photograph © Brett Boardman

Molière’s original play premiered in 1666. A satire about the hypocrisies of 17th century French aristocratic society, the central character Alceste can’t stand the flattering, fawning behaviour of his peers and tells the unvarnished truth, making him very unpopular. Nonetheless, he still can’t help falling for Celimene, a flirtatious young woman whose flighty behaviour represents everything he despises.

Fleming has updated the play to contemporary Australia, setting it in the music industry. He has also changed the gender...