Latest news with #Molière
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Solan university students captivate audiences their theatrical production
A Solan based university's vibrant theatre wing showcased their latest theatre production , Naatak Paracetamol—an adaptation of Molière 's iconic comedy - The Doctor in Spite of Himself , captivating audiences at Tagore Theatre recently. Directed by Ankur Bashar , a seasoned theatre practitioner and Assistant Professor of Performing Arts the university, the play is a witty, high-energy satire that pokes fun at blind faith in doctors and the absurdities of societal norms. Naatak Paracetamol follows the comically twisted tale of Sganarelle, a woodcutter who is mistakenly believed to be a doctor. Through a series of outrageous circumstances involving deception, mistaken identity, and social critique, the play unfolds with themes as relevant today as in Molière's time—touching on domestic violence, access to education, and socio-economic divides. 'This year, we chose comedy as a political act . In today's world, the comic is often political and the political, deeply comic. Molière's work continues to mirror the hypocrisies of modern society, making it ideal for a student-led performance that is both engaging and thought-provoking', said Ankur. Backed by a talented ensemble of students, the play featured Samarth Singh Thakur, Abhijit Nair, Dakksh Parekh, Rajat Sharma, Dibansee Rana, Sunidhi Deo, Lakshmi Vasundhara Mamidi, and many more in lively roles. The musical direction was helmed by Abhijit Nair and Lakshmi Vasundhara, with original compositions performed live by student musicians. The creative team included Sunidhi Deo and Ankur Bashar for set design, Ujjwal Kumar on lights, and Khushi Maheshwari as choreographer. The production was managed by Prashant Kumar, with costumes and murals by Shibani.
New York Times
07-03-2025
- New York Times
$850,000 Homes in Montpellier, France
Montpellier | €780,000 ($835,000) This two-story duplex apartment is in a 19th-century stone building near the center of Montpellier, a city in the Occitanie region of southern France near the Mediterranean coastline. It has five bedrooms, two work areas, three bathrooms and a terrace, as well as air-conditioning and double-glazed windows. Montpellier offers attractions from across the ages scattered within and nearby. Nîmes and its Roman structures are less than an hour's drive northeast. Béziers, which hosts an annual Moliere festival, is about an hour southwest. Montpellier itself, which stretches on either side of the river Lez, has a Roman aqueduct, five Michelin-starred restaurants and several art museums. Montpellier-Méditerranée airport, just south of the city, has direct flights to Paris, London, Morocco and other destinations throughout Europe. Size: 2,744 square feet Price per square foot: $304 Indoors: The open living room has tile floors, 20-foot-tall whitewashed cathedral ceilings and a step-up layout with areas used for sitting, reading and playing or listening to music. The eat-in kitchen has a gray tile backsplash, an island topped by a gray counter and white cabinets, creating a monochromatic aesthetic. This main floor has a bathroom and two bedrooms, one of which has beamed ceilings and an opening to the home's terrace. A wood staircase rises to the second floor, where a mezzanine, currently used as an office, is open to the living room below. Under the rafters, this floor also has three bedrooms, a bathroom and a second work space. Outdoor space: This apartment has a roughly 175-square-foot terrace with tiled walls, a blue railing and views of the surrounding greenery. Parking is available for rent, five minutes away on foot. Costs: Annual property taxes for this home are around $4,300. Contact: Véronique Loisel | Casanova Immobilier |+33-6-15-38-47-17 Pézenas | €795,000 ($850,000) This two-story, six-bedroom villa, built in the late 18th century, has a mixture of modern comforts and historic details. The commune of Pézenas, about 50 minutes southwest of Montpellier by car, is in the same administrative region of Occitanie. Once a Roman settlement and later home to the playwright Molière, it is now one of the region's market towns, with a weekly Saturday market. It is also a base for exploring the surrounding wineries and gastronomic offerings, and is home to several museums including the International Toy Museum. Size: 4,212 square feet Price per square foot: $204 Indoors: Double glass doors with wrought-iron ornaments lead to a tiled entrance hall that runs the length of the house. The rectangular living room has several seating areas and a massive bookcase. The kitchen has a counter area for casual meals, an exposed wood-beam ceiling, uniformly colored tile floors and cream-colored French provincial-style cabinets. The adjacent dining room has a large fireplace tucked into a corner. The ground floor also has a bathroom and a bedroom. There are five more bedrooms upstairs. One has a large window and sconce lighting. Another has square tile floors and a single pendant light overhead. In many rooms throughout the house, the floors form hexagonal patterns. The baseboard and doors are dark wood, contrasting the bright white walls. Outdoor space: The 0.38-acre property is landscaped with trees, shrubs and grass, and includes a pool, a terraced garden area and a garage that could be used as a workshop. More vehicles can be parked outside. Costs: Annual property taxes are around $3,000. Contact: Henri Canto | Casanova Immobilier |+33-6-41-52-54-63 Montpellier | €735,000 ($787,000) This three-bedroom apartment, with an internal courtyard and direct street access, has areas suitable for living and working. The residence was once a carpentry workshop and shows traces of that history in its details. The historic center of Montpellier, known as the Ecusson, was once reached by drawbridge. Strolling the neighborhood's narrow alleys and passages, one can find museums, churches, a Dr. Martens boutique, a McDonald's, Montpellier's opera house and an abundance of restaurants, bars and cafes. Trams circle the exterior of the neighborhood, and Montpellier Saint-Roch train station, a seven-minute walk from the historic center's Place de la Comédie, offers rail connections up and down the coast and to destinations in France's interior. Size: 1,518 square feet Price per square foot: $523 Indoors: The home's shared living areas are separated into two zones. The living room, with vaulted ceilings, skylights and exposed wood beams, fits sofas and chairs around a coffee table. Built-in bookshelves are on one side, and a work space is tucked into a corner that is painted blue. An large opening leads to the dining room, with an elongated white table under a skylight, and the adjoining kitchen, which has a double oven. The kitchen's cabinets are a cheerful yellow, and both rooms have recessed lighting. This area is further brightened by several sliding glass doors that lead out to the patio. The home is heated and cooled with mini-split units. Floors throughout are polished concrete. A staircase runs up a wall in the living room to three bedroom suites. The home also has a one-car garage with storage. Outdoor space: A patio off the kitchen and dining room fits a table for six and a hot tub. Hanging plants cover its weathered brick wall. Costs: Annual property taxes are around $1,620. Contact: Pascal Roustand | Deflandre Résidences & Propriétés | +33-4-67-12-52-80
Observer
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
Tartuffe: A master of deception and manipulation
Tartuffe, the main character in Molière's 1664 French play, is a cunning hypocrite who pretends to be pious while secretly scheming for wealth and power. He deceives Orgon, the head of the household, by feigning virtue and humility, gaining his trust while attempting to usurp his fortune. Eventually, his manipulative nature is exposed, revealing him as a fraud and a symbol of religious hypocrisy. The word Tartuffe has since entered the English language to describe a confidence trickster — someone who masks dishonesty with false morality. I recently had the misfortune of knowing a Tartuffe. He was exceptionally skilled in deception — too good, in fact. At first he appeared kind, generous and understanding, exuding charm and attentiveness. He made me feel special, boosting my confidence and offering unwavering support. I trusted him, relied on him. Before I realised it, he had become an indispensable part of my life. But beneath this crafted persona was something sinister. He was not my friend — he was a fraudster, a manipulator, a predator who thrived on control. His goal was never to help but to exploit, targeting those who were generous, kind-hearted or emotionally vulnerable. A skilled con artist does not rush. He embeds himself into your life, studying your vulnerabilities — your insecurities, struggles or need for support. He offers solutions, making himself appear irreplaceable. At first his generosity seems boundless. He helps with errands, provides small favours and listens when needed. He never asks for anything in return for the small favours — until he does. In addition, when he finally does, it seems only fair to repay his kindness. Generously. One of a trickster's most dangerous tactics is isolation. He subtly undermines your relationships, planting seeds of doubt — "You know you can't trust him, right? But don't worry, you have me." He convinces you that anyone who questions him is lying. He publicly performs small acts of kindness, reinforcing his carefully constructed image. Slowly, your circle of support shrinks. You withdraw from genuine friends, believing only he has your best interests at heart. By the time you recognise what's happening, you may feel entirely dependent on him. A tartuffe is a master of deception. He constructs false narratives to manipulate your emotions. He may claim financial hardship or personal crises, making you believe that only you can help him. It starts small — the mention of an unexpected expense, a minor favour. But they grow. You find yourself giving more and more, feeling guilty if you hesitate. He places you in situations where saying no feels impossible. After all, he has been so helpful — how could you refuse? What you don't realise is that you are being conditioned. Each act of generosity strengthens his grip. You justify it by reminding yourself of all he's done for you. The cycle continues, deepening his deception. Most confidence tricksters exhibit sociopathic tendencies. They lack conscience, empathy or genuine emotional attachment. To them, people are tools — stepping stones to financial gain and control. They feel no remorse when they manipulate or ruin their victims. Their ability to mimic genuine emotions makes them especially dangerous. They can appear sad on cue, feign affection and display concern when necessary. They claim people have lied about them, insist they have done nothing wrong and always offer a well-rehearsed smile. Their lies come effortlessly. But it's all an act. Once they have extracted everything they can from you — or more likely when they sense you're beginning to see through them — they discard you without hesitation, moving on to their next unsuspecting victim. For those caught in a confidence trickster's web, the realisation is devastating. Victims feel guilt, shame, anger and betrayal. Many struggle to accept that someone they trusted so completely was deceiving them all along. Escaping a fraudster requires strength and, often, outside help. If you suspect manipulation: - Cut ties completely. Do not engage, argue, or give them the chance to manipulate you further. - Stop providing money or assistance, no matter how persuasive their excuses. - Reach out to those who genuinely care about you. Most importantly, remember — you are not to blame. These con artists are experts in deception, and anyone can fall victim. The best defence is awareness: recognising the signs before they take hold and ensuring that your kindness is never exploited. The writer is a former Cambridge School Principal and an interview skills advisor
New York Times
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
At France's Oldest Theater, Things Change, but They Also Stay the Same
Later this year, the actor and director Clément Hervieu-Léger will assume one of the most influential positions in French theater: general administrator of the Comédie-Française, the country's oldest active company. France's culture ministry announced the appointment last week. For now, however, Hervieu-Léger, 47, remains a player in the company's acting ensemble, and through June 1, he is starring in a production of Chekhov's 'The Cherry Orchard' that he also directed. Onstage on Sunday, Hervieu-Léger blended in discreetly as Trofimov, an aging student who hovers around the play's central landowning family. (It took me a minute even to recognize him.) The venerable Comédie-Française was founded in 1680, when a troupe begun decades earlier by the playwright Molière merged with a rival institution. With Hervieu-Léger's appointment, it has opted — as so often — for continuity. Since 2001, every general administrator has come from the company's ranks. Éric Ruf, who holds the position until this summer, had over two decades of experience as a Comédie-Française actor before his appointment in 2014. His successor has followed a remarkably similar path. A lithe, elegant performer, Hervieu-Léger was hired by the troupe in 2005 and has since been seen in a vast repertoire of plays, including Molière comedies and Tony Kushner's 'Angels in America.' In 2018, he joined the ranks of the 'sociétaires,' or 'shareholders,' a core group of company members who own stakes in the Comédie-Française, make up the board and oversee the theater's operations. All must abide by the company's motto: 'Simul et singulis,' which means, 'Together and individual.' In the past, this ensemble-led system has made it difficult for outsiders to come in and manage the Comédie-Française effectively. Even former sociétaires have faced internal mutiny: Muriel Mayette-Holtz, the first female general administrator, was replaced by Ruf in 2014 after company members protested her tenure in a letter to the French culture minister. Still, the prestige of the position is such — the administrator is personally appointed by the French president — that Hervieu-Léger faced serious competition. According to the French newspaper Le Monde, two high-profile candidates had thrown their hats in the ring: Arthur Nauzyciel, who is currently at the helm of the National Theater of Brittany; and the film and stage director Christophe Honoré, known for movies including 'Love Songs' and 'Sorry Angel.' While Hervieu-Léger is less of a household name, he will be able to draw on his wide-ranging experience. Alongside his acting career, he has directed over a dozen productions across theater and opera, with a pronounced taste for classic plays: in addition to Chekhov and his countryman Ivan Turgenev, Hervieu-Léger has tackled Molière and the 18th-century comic playwrights Pierre de Marivaux and Carlo Goldoni. He has also overseen plenty of projects beyond the Comédie-Française. In 2010, he co-founded La Compagnie des Petits Champs, a theater company based in rural northern France. His affinity for ballet has also translated into a number of side gigs, including a position as drama teacher at the Paris Opera Ballet School. In early April, his hybrid dance-theater adaptation of 'They Shoot Horses, Don't They?,' a co-creation with the choreographer Bruno Bouché and the actor Daniel San Pedro for the Ballet du Rhin, will have its Paris premiere at the Théâtre de la Ville. As a director, Hervieu-Léger's style leans toward understated, period-appropriate sophistication; a history buff, he was elected president of the French Society of Theater History in 2021. His production of 'The Cherry Orchard' is a case in point. In Hervieu-Léger's interpretation, Chekhov's 1903 play unfolds on a wood-paneled stage decorated with refined paintings, evoking the country lifestyle of the aristocratic family; the minutely cut costumes are demure enough to suit early 20th-century characters. The craft of the Comédie-Française's famed in-house set and costume departments are evident in every scene, to a degree that outside directors don't always exploit. 'The Cherry Orchard' is also a showcase for Hervieu-Léger's colleagues, with smart casting across several generations of actors. Florence Viala, a company member since 1994, brings a flighty self-assurance to the central role of Lyubov. Loïc Corbery, often seen in romantic leading roles, is an unexpected choice as the coarse Lopakhin, yet he owns the role with mercurial energy. As Firs, the elderly butler, Hervieu-Léger brought back the retired sociétaire Michel Favory, who acts as an earnest, serious anchor throughout. Hervieu-Léger's intimate knowledge of the troupe will serve him well as the general administrator, and Ruf leaves behind an institution in good shape. Over his three terms, Ruf struck a balance between the house's traditions and a newfound openness. In addition to bringing in star directors like Thomas Ostermeier and Ivo van Hove, he worked quietly behind the scenes to increase diversity, hiring several Black actors and achieving gender parity among the directors he programed. The Comédie-Française said last week that Hervieu-Léger would unveil his plans this summer, though the company seems set to continue on its steady course. If it ain't broke, don't fix it: It's a view that the Comédie-Française is entitled, by nearly 350 years of history, to hold.
