University of Iowa

Adapted by Emily Dendinger

Directed by Carol MacVey

Lighting by Cassie Malmquist

Costumes by Emily Busha

A Modern Adaptation, Making It Relevant

My latest project has been a modern re-interpretation of Moliere's classic comedy "The Imaginary Invalid" written by Emily Dendinger and directed by Carol Macvey.  We wanted to create a show that we could give to our audience as a gift; that is, something sweet and fun that wasn't asking for anything in return. In order to accomplish that with a period piece we felt we needed to open it back up and make it as accessible to our modern audience as it would have been for its original 17th century French audience.

Names were changed to protect the innocent.

Or at least make them sound funnier.  We also knew that we would be ending the show with an abridged production of another Moliere piece, Love is the Medicine, instead of the original ceremony turning Argan into a Doctor himself-here he would play a Doctor on the stage. Knowing this, and the director's desire to have a set full of doors to really capture the energy of farce, I decided to do some deconstruction of my own.

Inside of the David Thayer Theatre at the University of Iowa we created an expression of a small "great hall" with a stage at one end to create a physical setting for the audience which was somewhat authentic to the original setting of the show and to embrace the metatheatrical intent of the director and playwright. So the set ended up being 14 columns, 7 rolling doors, 4 moving stools, 2 rolling screens, 1 large-wheeled hospital bed, 1 raisedstage, and one surprise roll-drop portrait of the French Funnyman Himself, and Bubbles.

It was pretty funny.

Click HERE to check out some process drawings, paint elevations and drafting...if you're in to that sort of thing.