n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Teatro Sea at Los Kabayitos Puppet Theater

2007

The Native American Opera House

Dramatists Play Service, NY,

-

If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Comedy

Adaptation

10

4

extras

Original Playwright - Carlo Goldoni

The liar of the title is one Lelio, a young Venetian of good family who returns home after a long absence and is immediately embroiled in a series of hilarious escapades. Lelio's problem is that he seems unable to speak the truth when a whopping lie suits his purposes better—and the more the resultant complications multiply the more outlandish his fibs become. Before long he has thrown the budding romances of two lovely young sisters into a turmoil, discredited their rightful suitors, deceived his own befuddled father (who has not yet recognized him), and created such a tangle of misunderstandings that it appears doubtful whether things can ever be set straight. But, happily enough, the truth does ultimately triumph—and with all the verve and high comic style which has characterized the play throughout.

-

-

-

Dramatists Play Service, NY,

-

If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Comedy

Adaptation

7

3

-

Original Playwright - Moliere

While Argante and Geronte, two domineering, miserly fathers, are away on affairs of business, their respective sons, Octave and Leandre, become embroiled in romantic escapades, despite the vigilance of their servants, who are supposed to keep their charges out of trouble. Octave (son of Argante) has become secretly married to the lovely Hyacinte; while Leandre (son of Geronte) is smitten by a charming "gypsy" girl, Zerbinette. When their fathers return and announce that they have marital plans for their respective sons, both Octave and Leandre are devastated but, fortunately, Scapin, Leandre's clever servant, is at hand, and not without resources. Reassuring the love-sick swains that he will find a way to deal with their pompous fathers, Scapin sets his delightfully devious plot in motion—not only persuading Argante and Geronte that they really want what they don't want and don't want what they do want, but also extracting money from them on the errant lovers' behalf. In the end, as fate would have it, it turns out that Hyacinte is really Geronte's daughter (and the wife that Argante had in mind for Octave all along); and Zerbinette is actually Argante's long-lost offspring (whom he had always intended to be Leandre's bride), so true love does triumph after all—and even Scapin (who has tricked them all several times over) is forgiven his hilarious misdeeds.