EXECUTIVE BRIEFCASE: Review
THE SCHOOL FOR WIVES
Play by Moliere.
On the South Coast Repertory Mainstage, Costa Mesa, through Feb. 10. Translation by Ranjit Bolt, directed by David Chambers. Call (714) 708-5555 or visit www.scr.org.
The settings and the rules may change, but the essential elements of love and marriage are timeless. Which is why Moliere’s 17th Century comedy, “The School for Wives,” is delighting audiences on the SCR Mainstage. Moliere’s witty verse gets a little updating, but it’s a clever set design by Darcy Scanlin and a virtuoso performance by Dakin Matthews as the scheming gentleman who tries to create the perfect bride, that puts the shine on this classic gem. Nowadays, a guy is more likely to fret about alimony than cuckholding, and future wives are primed on fashion magazines, not secreted away in convents; but the same dynamic remains at work and, then as now, even the best-laid plans can’t countermand the laws of nature. Enjoy the folly.
, Rick Reiff
