Amphitryon

Amphitryon is a French language comedy in a prologue and 3 Acts by Molière which is based on the story of the Greek mythological character Amphitryon as told by Plautus in his play from ca. 190-185 B.C. The play was first performed at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris on 13 January 1668.^[1] A whiff of scandal surrounded the play, with some claiming that Molière was criticizing the amourous affairs of Louis XIV of France in the guise of Jupiter. It was performed again three days later at the Tuileries Garden in the presence of Louis XIV.

Amphitryon was an immediate success with the French aristocracy and the play was performed a total of 29 times by Easter 1668. The popularity of the work was such that two of the names of the characters became a part of the everyday French language. The word "amphitryon" is now the French word for "host". The other such character to make an effect is 'Sosie', a part which was portrayed by Molière himself in the comedy's first production. The term "sosie" in French now means look-alike, a reflection of the events in the play where the character Sosie is a doppelgänger of the God Mercury.

Richard Wilbur translated the play for the work's first professional production in the English language which was directed by Darko Tresnjak and presented by the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston in March 2001.^[2] However, Australian poet W. J. Turner had already written an English adaptation of the play in 1933, known as "Jupiter Translated", and which was performed with music composed by Anthony Bernard.^[3]

References

v t e Works by Molière Le Médecin volant Les Précieuses ridicules The School for Wives Tartuffe Dom Juan L'Amour médecin The Misanthrope Le Médecin malgré lui Amphitryon George Dandin ou le Mari confondu The Miser Monsieur de Pourceaugnac Le Bourgeois gentilhomme Psyché Les Fourberies de Scapin Les Femmes Savantes The Imaginary Invalid

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