Libertin

Libertin

  • Genre Drama
  • Stage Drama Theatre
  • Premiere19. January 2002
  • Length2:05 hod.
  • Number of reprises43
  • Final performance15. November 2004

Conversation Comedy

The theme of the play Libertine written by the contemporary French dramatist Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt is (not only) a relation of the Enlightenment philosopher Denis Diderot to women. He is found at the moment when he is being portrayed by a tempting paintress and simultaneously pelted by the editorial office of Encyclopaedia with requirements to write the headword of Moral. The conflict between seductiveness of women he has a soft spot for and the moral accompanies Diderot throughout the play. However, its action is much more complicated and full of surprise. Moreover, almost a detective plot will bring you to a multiple denouement. The whole story is full of brilliant and humorous dialogues and is penetrated with the philosophy of libertinism and indispensable ticklish erotic.

 

Author

  • Eric Emmanuel Schmitt

Directed by

Translation

  • Matylda
  • Michal Lázňovských

Setting

  • Jan Dušek j.h.

Therboucheová

Denis Diderot

Antoinette Diderotová

Angelika Diderotová

Mladá Holbachová

Diderot in or without a Dressing-Gown Cannot Be Disarmed Easily

Vladimír Čech 1. December -1 zdroj Kam

…Schmitt’s Libertine directed by Zdeněk Černín is an intellectual, playful performance with a good dose of erotic ingredient, served, however, with typical French grace and gentility. To summarize, a perceptive spectator will find there a number of stimuli to be thought about and will enjoy himself at the same time.

…Undoubtedly, any conversation comedy depends particularly on the performances which all may be marked excellent. Karel Janský who never disappears from the stage excels in the part of Denis Diderot...

An Applause on an Open Scene

Jaroslav Parma 1. December -1 zdroj Týden

…The dramatist has probably never seen Karel Janský, but it looks like he wrote the title role just for him. The actor who is a great support to the ensemble since the year 1966 managed to play Diderot in every detail. He is a philosopher performing his thoughts and loving his life, preferring women. At the first night he was applauded on an open scene. Irena Konvalinová is his wonderful female counterpart acting the part of Ann Therboucher…

…The play is given on a functional and unobtrusive scene designed by Jan Dušek (guest) who is also a costume designer. The first-night audience had a very good time and prepared a lot “curtains” to the actors. I do not like to repeat myself, but this time I dare to say again that another presentation arose in the Brno Municipal Theatre marked with SOLD OUT at the ticket office for a very long time ahead.

Denis Diderot in a Dressing-Gown...

Libuše Zbořilová 1. December -1 zdroj Rovnost

Denis Diderot in a Dressing-Gown will Soon Enliven a Lot of Czech Stages

…Schmitt’s comedy in a factual and fluent translation by Matylda and Michal Lázňovský has perfect dramatic parameters: it is intelligent, humorous, its philosophical line is sufficiently contagious; sex, relations of two people, passion, love and family are spoken about with French ease; the play is cast with only six actors and needs only one scene.

The director of the first Czech presentation Zdeněk Černín proved that he is familiar not only with great and populous plays, but also profound conversation comedies. Though he has not selected an excessive pace, the action is quite fast, with an inner rhythm of continuous scenes and safe conducting of actors...

Denis Diderot: My Thoughts are My Whores

Jiří P. Kříž 1. December -1 zdroj Právo

…Karel Janský is giving his life performance in the role of Diderot. He copes excellently with a lot of text interpreted truthfully and genteelly as if the thoughts were formulated by Diderot, one of the greatest philosophers of 18th century… The other actors giving full-blooded performances do not fall back …

…Meeting Schmitt is exceedingly fresh, witty, with slight feminist causticity...

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