El misantrop [The Misanthrope]

In 1666, abandoned by his wife and suffering from illness, Molière wrote what was to become, alongside Tartuffe, his masterpiece, The Misanthrope, a critique of the hypocrisy and individualistic interests of society at the time. Alceste is in love with Célimène, an exuberant and vivacious woman who moves effortlessly in courtly circles. Her considerable social skills clash with Alceste’s traumatic way of dealing with society’s hypocrisy and lack of values. He will therefore reproach Célimène for her flirtations with other men and scold his friends for their lack of honesty. He will constantly feel a deep distrust and contempt for humanity. 

Honesty and hypocrisy, personal ethics and life in society, reason and passion, the limits of goodness and loyalty are some of the themes of this brilliant comedy, as relevant today as when it was first written. Don’t believe us? Well, playwright Sergi Pompermayer, who wrote the play with director David Selvas, tells the same story, but now set in the present day, in a modern record company no less. The main character addresses the audience and voices his contempt for humanity...  The language has been brought up to date thanks to Pablo Macho Otero’s witty and poignant versification. Contemporary concepts such as mansplaining and ghosting have been introduced into the story, the characters use mobiles, play instruments, sing, dance... and try to find some balance in the firestorm of vanity that is social media. Everything has changed, but everything remains the same, as Molière denounced more than three hundred years ago. 

The company behind this production is David Selvas’ La Brutal, which has brought other shows to Barcelona’s Grec Festival, such as the family-friendly musical El màgic d’Oz. This time David Selvas is once again working with Sergi Pompermayer, a playwright with whom he collaborated on another Molière, Don Juan, but he is also joined by the brilliant young playwright Pablo Macho Otero and other regular La Brutal collaborators such as Paula Jornet and Norbert Martínez.

Co-produced by Grec 2024 Festival de Barcelona, Teatre Lliure and La Brutal.