The Hypochondriac
- 45 to 60 minutes
- 7 Males. 4 Females Max 11 Min 11 (Doubling Possible)
Simple Props, Simple Set
$7.97 – $75.00
A one-act, satirical caricature on the practice of medicine, Human nature is revealed and pilloried in this comedy which skillfully skewers the medical profession, a narcissistic patient, and his conniving wife. The Hypochondriac (also known as The Imaginary Invalid) is as germane today as it was in Moliere’s France.
Easy to produce on stage or in a classroom as reader’s theater. (We have special copying rates for classroom use.)
Play Details
Overview
Armand stuffs himself with medicine and surrounds himself with medical experts. Convinced of his own imaginary illnesses but not wanting to pay the bills incurred by his delusion, he wants his daughter Angélique to marry a grotesque doctor, Thomas Diaforus, although she is in love with Cléante.
Will love prevail, in spite of the manipulations of Armand’s wife?
Written by George Freek.
From the Play
CLEANTE, 20s In love with Angelique
MONSIEUR DIAFOIRUS, A Doctor, 40s
THOMAS DIAFOIRUS, His son, 20s, A Medical Student
MONSIEUR PURGON, Another Doctor, 30
MONSIEUR BONNEFOI, A Notary, 20s
ANTOINETTE Beline’s Maid, 20s
ARGAN, A Hypochondriac, 50
BELINE, His Second Wife, 30s
ANGELIQUE, His Daughter, 20s, in love with Cleante
LOUISON, His Younger Daughter, 18 BERALDE, His Brother, 40
ARGAN: A daughter with any decent feelings should be willing to marry someone who can be useful to her father.
TOINETTE: I’m giving you some friendly advice, Master. Forget about this marriage.
ARGAN: And why should I do that?
TOINETTE: Because your daughter will never consent to it!
ARGAN: My daughter won’t consent to it?
TOINETTE: She’ll never agree to it.
ARGAN: But I’ve already agreed to it. And aside from the obvious advantage, Thomas is Monsieur Diafoirus’s sole heir, and he’s worth a couple hundred thousand a year!
TOINETTE: He must have killed a lot of patients to be worth that much.
ARGAN: I am determined she shall be Mrs. Diafoirus.
TOINETTE: She won’t do it.
ARGAN: She will or I’ll put her in a convent.
Related products
- $15.97
Silver Beach Road
- 10 - 60 minutes
- 1 - 7 M or F
spoken word, High School, Reader's Theater, Theatrical Staging Possible, Touring
The book has all of the Robert P. Arthur’s skill and lovely, rhythmical language, but also a sense of loss of both life and love, the former viewed with both curiosity and indifference, the latter producing some of the author’s most moving love poems.
The sea is. however, ever-present, just like in his other works. It is his mother, father, deity, heaven, a place of love and death to escape to. Surrealism has its place, as does the seriocomic and other post-modern elements.
Available in Hard Copy only
Read More - $11.00 – $70.00
Phaedra
- 90 Minutes
- 4 Males 4 Females Max 15+ Min 9
Drama, Simple Props, Simple Set
A full-length, poetic drama resurrects the love, lust, and retribution of the original Greek legend in modern surroundings. A stepmother’s insatiable desire for her husband’s son destroys a family. Set in a beach house with the sound of drumming waves and ghostly figures of fishwives in the background, this verse play brings the ancient story back to life.
Read More - $5.75 – $45.00
Campers
- 20 Minutes
- 1 Male 1 Female Max/Min 2
Colleges, Comedy, Competitions, High School
An “outdoorsy” couple on their honeymoon discover what it means to be caught, or bound together in love. This award-winning one-act comedy by B. A. Hite was a First Place winner, Actor’s Theatre; produced by Theatre Wagon of Virginia and Tidewater Community College. Simple set. Easy to stage.
Read More - $9.00 – $75.00
The Snow Queen
- 50 Minutes
- 6F: 6M or F Min 9 Max 15 (doubling possible)
Fairy Tale, Young Audience, Community, Large Cast
This 60-minute Christmas play for the whole family is adapted by Gillette Elvgren from the story by Hans Christian Anderson. In it, we follow the adventures of the young girl Gerda as she strives to free her best friend Kay from the icy grip of the Snow Queen. A modern version with optional audience participation, for Children’s Theatre or students to perform for family audiences.
Read More