Tonight, Dear Readers, I attended a theatrical event at the West Coast Ensemble. The West Coast Ensemble is one of my favorite theatrical troupes here in L.A. Working with shoestring budgets, a tiny theatre with 99 seats out front and a matchbox-sized stage, they consistently produce excellent work.
The play tonight was Moliere's The Bungler, in what was billed as the Los Angeles premiere of Richard Wilbur's translation. It was great fun! Clever, witty, well acted and well directed (other than a bit of over-reliance on slapstick, especially in the earlier scenes.) Creative use of sound effects and a simple but effective set that consisted of three rotating towers that contained various doors and arches to accomodate the numerous entrances, exits and lurkings by various characters in the story.
Subversive, no doubt, when first produced for presenting a servant as cleverer and more intelligent than his master and depicting others of the upper crust as silly caricatures, The Bungler plays now as a hearty farce.
