Chatsky & Miser Miser! Two Plays by Anthony Burgess

<p>Anthony Burgess was an energetic writer and composer whose work<br />for the stage is widely admired. In <em>Two Plays</em> we see him tackling<br />major monuments of French and Russian theatre:<em> The Miser</em> by<br />Molière and <em>Chatsky</em> by Alexander Griboyedov.</p><p><em>Miser Miser!</em> is a bold reworking of Molière's classic comedy of<br />1668. Harpagon the miser is hoarding a pile of gold which he has<br />buried in his garden. As he tries to sell off his daughter catch himself<br />a beautiful young bride and outwit his scheming household of clever<br />servants the comedy of errors intensifies.</p><p>Although the original French play is written in prose Burgess<br />remakes it in a mixture of verse and prose in the style of his famous<br />adaptation of <em>Cyrano de Bergerac</em>. This translation discovered in the<br />author's archive is the work of a writer at the height of his powers<br />reinventing Molière for modern audiences.</p><p><em>Chatsky</em> subtitled 'The Importance of Being Stupid' is another verse<br />comedy. The theme is that of the intellectual hero who rebels<br />against the smug philistine society in which he finds himself. First<br />performed in 1833 Griboyedov's play was so heavily cut by Russian<br />censors that it was barely recognisable. The play is a virtuoso vehicle<br />for male actors and the source of many famous quotations. It is<br />also notoriously difficult to translate. In <em>Chatsky</em> Burgess remakes a<br />classic Russian play in the spirit of Oscar Wilde. It is a great feast of<br />language and invective.</p><p>The complete texts of both plays are published here for the first time.<br /><em>Two Plays</em> confirms Anthony Burgess's reputation as a gifted writer<br />for the stage and as a translator of great wit and sophistication.</p><p><br />MISER MISER! CASTING: 7 men 3 women<br />CHATSKY CASTING: 9 men 7 women</p>