Play Review: the Imaginary Invalid

Upon entering the theater, my initial reactions were on the whole positive as I took in the scene, my eyes shifting around the surroundings. The theater was a elfin smoky and mysterious looking there were interesting props on the item (like a compact disc chandelier, a chrome walker, and a doojigger of various sized bottles containing florescent yellow and red liquid with tubes attached by means of extinct) that I found stimulating to look at and wonder about.When the lights went down and the calculate began, I was excited to see what purpose was behind the smoky surroundings and the curious props. Up to the end of the production, that excitement (accompanied by times of rage and empathy) was sustained because of the comical personality of the period of play. The opening scene with the dark bodies and light faces was a little confusing. I was not sure how having the actors lurking around the breaker point and auditory sense, with creepy, tingly music and sounds being played in the meantime, related to the play.Besides this scene, though, the darn and structure of the play was made clear due to the comprehensibility of the confabulation and the ease at which the plot could be followed. Many of the scenes aroused the reference to some form of response, more often laughter than others, but surprise and empathy were prominent as rise. In the first scene that Argan, a hypochondriacal (the imaginary invalid), was introduced, there was a plethora of giggles and grins from the audience as he sorted through his doctors bills and spoke of enemas.In the scenes with Angelique, Argans daughter, empathy was felt for her while she struggled to be with her love, Cleante. Many of the scenes had lurid or surprising elements, but the most shocking of all was when Argans doctor came to visit him after hearing the news that Argan was not abiding to his prescriptions. The scene was outrageous the doctors speech was really loud and exaggerated, as was his wardr obe, and there was an added element of absurdity with saliva spewing this way and that out of the doctors verbalize as he shouted at Argan.Because the play was filled with scenes of this nature and because most of the play was a little outrageous, it was effective in arousing audience response and captivating my interest throughout the performance. In order to successfully express emotions and minds, the actors used body movements, voice, and facial expressions wonderfully. A perfect ensample of one actor utilizing all three would be the character of doubting Thomas Diafoirus. Just out of schooling to become a doctor, Thomas reflects a goofy, savage-like facial expression.He is presented to the audience like an animal also through his slouching and savage-like mannerisms, not to mention the fact that his father would crack a jactitate on him at any given hint of misbehavior. Thomas is not at all a man who Angelique wants to marry, and so this idea is taken to the next level by m aking his character ostensibly repulsing to the audience. As exaggerated as they may have been, and as askew as some might have seemed, body movement, voice, and facial expressions were expertly put to use throughout the performance.The design of the set and the costumes worked big with all the other elements of the production. Many people were heard describing the costumes as sort of jumpy Horror, due to the white, highly made up faces and gothic personal manner clothing. While this was not proper dress for the period in which the play was written, it did still work well with the play and was not seemingly out of place. The characters of Argan, Angelique, Louison, Beralde, and Cleante were not in this gothic style apparel, but instead were in period dress.This was an excellent way of showing the difference between characters. The stage was set strategically with Argans bed directly in the middle, a great way to show that the play circled around his illness and being in bed mos t of the time. The props I mentioned at the beginning (the candle chandelier, the chrome walker, and the contraption of bottles containing liquid and tubes) were dangling about the actors on rope. This was a clever way of decorating Argans room with symbols of his hypochondria.The costumes worn and the design of the set worked well together in setting an appropriate mood and style for the production. Overall, I really liked this play and intellection that the production was done very well. I enjoyed most of all the comedic elements of the play, it was good to laugh and sit through something that was not in a serious tone. I especially thought it a treat to see the audience around me enjoying the performance as much as I was.