The School for Lies
by David Ives
adapted from The Misanthrope by Molière
directed by Barbara Gaines
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Thru January 20, 2013
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In the venerated venue that celebrates Shakespeare
Plays a fun new farce that regenerates Molière
With rhyming couplets like this, though better you’d hope
The School of Lies puts a new English twist on The Misanthrope
Still set in 1666 with costumes Baroque
The anachronistic script features many bawdy a joke
Written by David Ives or more truly adapted
With a fine cast the schtick is enjoyably enacted
Ben Carlson is Frank, a tart-tongued critic of life
Who pursues Celimene, played by Ben’s actual wife
Deborah Hay, these actors sure are good one and all
Including Sean Fortunato and Kevin Gudahl
And a finely vexed Greg Vinkler, along with Heidi Kettenring
Who shines without even getting to sing
All in all it makes for a memorable night
Though I can’t quite call it a “must-see” delight
For while I frequently smiled I rarely guffawed
I liked the uniqueness but wasn’t continually awed
I felt the humor could have had a much sharper sting
Had Ives imbued his verses with a mightier swing
Instead of merely mix-matching chronological sense
Why not make the jibes more topically dense
For as Frank demonstrated his desire to condemn
Dissing his foes like a dandified Eminem
Perhaps he could have ridiculed their pretentious devices
By chastising the chicanery that perpetuated the crisis
And in telling Celimene that her communiqués had vexed him
How ‘bout suggesting that next time she just text him
I realize my examples aren’t really that witty
But the farce could’ve been funnier with more Second City
Types of timely and wry observations
Rather than merely explicit titillations
In truth School of Lies is a pretty good show
But not one to bring tears if unable to go
While I felt it tickled more than did fully entrench
At least I’m glad it wasn’t in French
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