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Rene Auberjonois and Nancy Robinette star in Shakespeare Theater's The Imaginary Invalid.
It takes a nerd showing up for things to really get going in Shakespeare Theater's production of The Imaginary Invalid.
And this is one hell of a nerd. As Thomas Diafoirus, unwelcome suitor to the young Angelique, Levi Ben-Israel has the bushy red hair, the dorky glasses. He sputters, sniffles and belches through his awkward advances to the young heiress, all the while making us delightfully uncomfortable. It's a laugh-out loud kind of scene that really makes you appreciate both Moliere's wit and Ben-Israel antics. Unfortunately, it's almost an hour before we get there.
Before that, Imaginary Invalid is a slapstick-heavy farce featuring appealing actors, but there's only so long you can be amused by their swatting at each other. The main adversaries are Argan, a rich hypochondriac (Rene Auberjonois; Odo from Deep Space Nine, speaking of nerds) and his less-than-indulgent servant Toinette (Nancy Robinette). The two are world-class actors; Auberjonois is particularly adept at milking his character's injuries and playing the fool; Robinette appears to be having a ball as her character mocks the ridiculous Argan. It's just hard to sustain interest for the amount of time they spend clawing at each other.
Still, after Diafoirus appears on the scene, the play has more laughs ahead - in one scene, Angelique (Gia Mora) and the man she truly loves, who is disguised as her music teacher (Tony Roach) profess their love through the guise of an "impromptu opera," and the results are rewarding. The work's second act is more diverting than the first, particularly Moliere's clever device of including a "farce within a farce" that convinces Toinette to take matters into her own hands and convince Argan to let his daughter marry for love, not just marry a doctor who can indulge his whining.
Along the way, The Imaginary Invalid showcases a fine performance from Kaitlin O'Neal, voluptuous and flirtatious as Argan's devious second wife. Peter Land gets an amusing Moliere monologue on the futility of trusting doctors (though its sentiments are a bit exaggerated for our time; Moliere probably wouldn't think Christian Scientists were too far off base), but there's something oddly indulgent about his performance that strikes an off note.
While director Keith Baxter's production is admirable for its attention to detail in costume and set, recreating the period of the piece convincingly, the interspersed musical numbers and the praises of audience member King Louis can be trying. And from beginning to end of the 2.5+ hour proceedings, there's never any doubt where the plot is going.
The Imaginary Invalid runs through July 27 at the Lansburgh. Tickets are available online.
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odo! i thought i recognized that face in all those web ads!
Rene Auberjonois will always be Clayton to me. Still waiting to know who won that gubernatorial election.
I just skewed DCist "old" didn't I?
i remember clayton too....just odo more
He also was the principal in the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
I think we have now acheived the nerd trifecta with this thread.
Not sure on the principal thing, Bethesdaist. Unless they changed casting and I don't remember the original?
You're right Missy - I was wrong, it was Armin Shimerman who was the principal, who was another actor on Star Trek. Now I've got to turn in my nerd card, arrrrgh!
Hey, any excuse to talk Buffy, accurate or otherwise, is legit.
Oh yeah, it totally was Quark. I had forgotten that!
He was also the father in the Patriot, which is what I recognized him from (worry not, I am a nerd in other ways...).
I saw the play last night - it was very enjoyable, though every once in awhile you did realize how long you had been sitting there.
Jesus Christ we have one of the finest character actors around performing on stgae here and all you people can talk about is him doing two crap television sci fi shows and another above avergae television show?
How about his brillant voice over work in the Jetsons ?
or the Flintsotnes Comedy Hour?
lol
Oh! Another tidbit I learned from reading the program last night - he was also the voice of the french chef in the Little Mermaid.
But seriously, he really was good.
boston legal! come on!
Here's some trivia for you: Back in 2003, Rene Auberjonois' daughter, Tessa Auberjonois, starred in The Rivals at our very own Shakespeare Theater (and did quite well).
The night I went to see it, a man in the audience caught my eye, and I thought to myself, "I know him from somewhere. Is he someone from work?" Then I realized that I was quite rudely staring at Rene!
At least when I go see this one I can stare at him openly for a good reason.
Well more trivia for you then: Rene's daughter Tessa was originally supposed to star in this production with her father. But she got pregnant (don't they always?) so had to back out. Luckily Rene didn't back out as well.