Two one act plays, one by Molière (Two Precious Maidens Ridiculed), and the other, The Rehearsal, by director Anders Falstie-Jensen, based on Molière’s The Rehearsal at Versailles.

Both plays ostensibly set out to expose posing, self-obsessions and all things pretentious: necessary qualities in Molière’s day for social climbers in France.  As a concept it is fairly ambitious and the Rebel Alliance works hard in the face of its main problem:  the risk that the work itself may become the very pretentious crime it seeks to avenge. 

Two Precious Maidens Ridiculed has a sumptuous set (designer Simon Coleman), sumptuous costumes (Naomi Spicer), and an array of vacuous socialites vying for the limelight with the sort of excessive ego-prancing for which 17th century France is infamous.  Magdelon (Catherine Nola) and Cathos (Nicci Reuben), are the sickly-sweet high-born Parisian maidens in question.  Their father Gorgibus (Geoff Allen) is eager to marry them off, but they are particular, objecting to their latest suitors’ proposals on their first meeting – "Nothing could be more tradesmanlike!"

Potentially more agreeable matches are found in Russell Pickering’s facaetiously charming Marquis de Mascarille, who never rises without having half a dozen wits in his company, and Andrew Merrie’s charmingly facaetious Vicomte de Jodelet.  Each fellow is so righteously impressed with himself that the girls almost don’t stand a chance.  They manage hold their own with these vapid ponces however, and it concludes in a way that might be satisfying if you actually cared for a single character besides the maid (more on that later).

Falstie-Jensen appears to have created The Rehearsal as a kind of sequel-come-modern remake of the Molière play.  In the notes he reasons that as it was a state-of-the-art satire in its day, it must be brought into the here and now in order to remain true to the work.

In the original, the cast and director played themselves rehearsing a play for the king.  In this Aucklified version, the company are working hard in anticipation of the arrival of Bob, the man who is paying them all (Allen), who wants to see how they’re coming along.  The ‘cast’ themselves are a nicely portrayed cross section of actor types, from professional to prima donna.  Many tasty in-jokes to be enjoyed here.  Our protagonist, director-actor Gilroy (Andrew Merrie) is routinely obnoxious to his cast and obsequious to his superior.  Merrie’s performance is somewhat contrived, and although the nature of the piece gives cause to wonder how intentional it is, it doesn’t always really work.

Hans and Peter (Richard Rugg and Michael Downey), the sound and light technicians, wryly observe the indulgent dramas and excessive posing, even as we the audience do.  My one complaint would be they didn’t swear nearly enough to be true theatre technician stereotypes.

Both plays in this production have definite moments, yet come short of underpinning the transparent facades of all their characters with much real depth.  The most notable exception is the highlight performances by Eve Gordon in both plays.  As Marotte, the maid triumphant, in Precious Maidens, she quietly celebrates her freedom from the shackles of constant expectations suffered by the gentry.  As Aurelie, she is the only actual French actor in the cast rehearsing The Rehearsal within The Rehearsal. 

It’s clear, in particular to anyone familiar with the theatre scene in Auckland, or anywhere in New Zealand, what Falstie-Jensen is saying in this pointed double-header.  Dealing with layers of realities and fictions, the Rebel Alliance have risen valiantly to the challenge to strike the optimum levels of contrast between the two.

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