Miseryguts

The Misanthrope is widely held to be Molière’s finest work. No small praise for the author of Le Malade imaginaire and Tartuffe. Perhaps the reason lies as John Wood asserts in The Misanthrope and Other Plays that it’s a “very deliberate comic masterpiece” but one that “pushes the boundaries so far that it slips into the realm of tragedy.” Or perhaps it’s simply because his protagonist is so damn timeless and recognizable.

A ‘Miseryguts’ for whom all the world’s inhabitants are sycophantic, ingratiating, social climbing idiots incapable of telling each other the truth.

A man who’s happier to damage himself, even ostracise himself from society, rather than compromise his integrity. Molière’s great comedies have always translated very well into Scots and this one is no exception. Scotland’s Makar Liz Lochhead, whose adaptation of Tartuffe has enjoyed legendary status for nearly two decades, once again blazes a particularly Scottish, thoroughly modern trail through one of the great man’s angst ridden, painfully honest and truly funny masterpieces.

Creative Team

Writer - Liz Lochhead

Director - Tony Cownie

Designer (Set and Costume) - Rachel MacAllan

Lighting Designer - Oliver Gorman

Sound Designer - Greame Brown

Production Team

• Production Manager - Sandy McRobbie

• Stage Manager - Ashley Kerray
• Technical Stage Manager - Andrew McCabe

• Deputy Stage Manager - Natalie Wilson
• Deputy Technical Stage Manager - Ian Smyth

• Assistant Stage Manager (Book Cover) - Chrissie Huxford
• Assistant Stage Manager - Siobhan Scott
• Assistant Stage Manager (Rehearsals)- Eve Kerr

• Chief Production Electrician - Elleanor Taylor
• Deputy Production Electrician - Shannon Howard

• Lighting Programmer/Operator - Stuart Lord
• Stage Electricians - Mary Crook, Laura Dougan

• Sound No.1 Live Mix - Graeme Brown
• Sound No.2 Recording Mix - Maciej Kopka

Lighting

Special Elements

The bay windows in act four, had a back drop of Edinburgh printed and attached to the back of the bay window. This was then required to be lit. The way it was decided to be lit, was to use four dimmable linolit slimlite 221mm un-switched holders, and four striplite 240v 60w221mm Opal lamps. These were sourced from 'CP Lighting'.

Example of what the linolits looked like and the bay window:

The linolits, were wired by the use of a choc block, with two linolits to one choc block then onto a 15amp plug. These were then cabled off stage. A break down of where the linolits sat in the window can be seen in the link below.

File:Linolit.pdf

(To be continued...)