THE HYPOCHONDRIAC - FRINGE BENEFITS REVIEW

by Kosta Jaric

Moliére was a comedic genius in his time, but it is a testament to Brink Production’s catastrophically hilarious adaptation of The Hypochondriac that his work shines on stage at the Space Theatre this August.

The Hypochondriac (Le Malade imaginaire) is an adaptation taken from not only the original French play but also from two early English translations, and both the adaptor, Paul Galloway, and director, Chris Drummond, have done a remarkable job spinning a tale that evoked more laughs than originally expected from a modern day audience.

The tale takes place in the drawing room of Argan (Paul Blackwell), a wealthy Parisian who is seemingly obsessed with the belief he is sick beyond compare; only the help of his doctors and their frequent enemas can save him, when in real fact they enjoy nothing more than taking him for all he is worth. By the wayside, his daughter Angelique (Emily Branford) desperately seeks approval to marry the man of her dreams, Cleante (Nathan O’Keefe), and not the doctors Argan wants by his side, as the shrewd stepmother Beline (Carmel Johnson) tries to scheme her way to his fortune. Whilst all of this occurs, the severely underestimated maid Toinette (Jacqy Phillps) playfully wreaks havoc with everyone with only their happiness in mind, as a barrage of characters enter their home seeking to delude Argan, request the hand of Angelique or convince the man he is actually in better health than an ox.

This small cast is genius. It’s not often you get to see such wondrous comedic actors, and rightfully SA’s own, reveling in what they do best. As Argan, Blackwell is simply fantastic, making it seem as if his character is directly addressing the audience, trying to have them sympathise with his reflections and complaints. Toinette is played with great energy and wit by Phillips, and it is her constant tormenting and bantering with Argan, reaching ridiculous proportions, that extracts a lot of laughs. Terence Crawford and Edwin Hodgeman also star, with Hodgeman now in his third career appearance in Moliére’s final piece as the wonderfully energetic Dr Purgon. Rory Walker portrays three of the most humorous roles, and his turn as Thomas Diafoirus is wild – think Peter Sellers’ Inspector Clouseau.

It’s very much a piece that relies on its humour to convey its undertones of delusion, fear and love as a deal breaker. There are some great scenes that the cast really thrive off of, and it’s fair to say that there is never really a dull moment throughout the entire show. Whilst some of the medical undertone is quite dated, the story is given much love and never does the mundane appear so humorous or romantic. Watch out for O’Keefe though, stealing the show in the smaller of his two roles as Louison, the youngest daughter of Argan, as he flies about the stage in quite literally the most absurd yet brilliant portrayal of the show.

The audience in age varied wildly, but it seemed as if the comedy and the performances were enjoyed equally, judging by the level of laughter throughout. The dialogue was easy to follow and easy to get wrapped up in, whilst Stuart Day took his place in the charmingly designed and lighted drawing room throughout the performance, delivering the perfect soundtrack.

It is rare for a show to entertain in more than one facet, but this did it on many levels. Brink are a comedic treasure to this state – do not wait any longer to see them in action!