The play fills the stage with outrageous characters and comic shenanigans as it follows the tale of Argan, a hypochondriac who wants his daughter to marry a physician so he can have a doctor in the family. Unfortunately for him and his health anxieties, she much prefers to marry someone else.
“Poking fun at 17th-century medical practices can make it a bit easier to take modern-day headlines about fraud and malfeasance in the health-care, insurance and drug industries,” says associate professor of drama Jason Rubin, who is co-directing the play with colleague Polly Sommerfeld, a lecturer in drama.
The play also explores the psychology of the hypochondriac through Argan, Rubin adds. “He is healthy as an ox but views every slight physical and mental discomfort as the beginning of his end. Why does someone like Argan, who has a stunning wife, two adoring children and enough money to make his life comfortable, think that if he does not take his medicine or purge himself he will die? On a superficial level, he simply wants attention. But like all well-developed characters in theater, he also is asking the big questions: Who am I and what is my place on this planet?”
“The Imaginary Invalid,” October 7, 8 and 9, at 8 p.m. in Decker Theatre, Washington College.
For reservations call 410-778-7835 or email [email protected]. Students and senior citizen tickets are $3, general admission is $5.
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