Edward Alderton Theatre Home | News | This Season | Next Season | Bookings | Auditions | Members | Archive | History | Location | Links | Contact Us   The Miser by Molière Translated by John Wood Directed by Mike Higginson 16-23 October 1993 (7 performances) Harpagon, a rich miser, rules his house with a meanness which is the talk of the town. He keeps his horses so weak that they cannot be used, he lends money at such an extortionate rate that the borrower will be crippled by it, and he is constantly in fear of having his wealth - a large sum of buried money - stolen from under his nose... Cast élise Susan Coral Hampton Valère James Humphreys Cléante Paul Lay Harpagon Graeme Horner La Flèche John Wharton Frosine Catherine Bateman Master Simon Derek Goulding Master Jacques Geoffrey Clifton-Green Dame Claude Jenny Devonshire Brindavoine Derek Goulding La Merluche Tony Donnelly Marianne Suzanne Briggs Officer Paul Norman Officer's Clerk Ron Hardwen Anselme Tony Donnelly Crew Stage Manager Allison Henderson Assistant Stage Manager Jenny Devonshire Set Design Mike Higginson Set Construction Mike Higginson, Alison Armit, Derek Goulding, Allison Henderson, Ron Hardwen, Maureen Hardwen Costumes Freda Philips, Royal Nation Theatre, RSC Properties Maureen Hardwen Lighting Design Tim Hewitt Lighting Operation Alison Armit Sound Ian McKenzie The director would like to thank Sue Higginson and Allison Henderson for their help in selecting the costumes. Review Cast of The Miser turns in a rich performance The miser created by Molière in his classic comedy makes Scrooge seems something of a philanthropist. Harpagon is utterly obsessed by money and loves it more than his children, and at times, more than life itself. A new production of the play can be seen at the Edward Alderton Theatre, Bexleyheath, this week, in a slick, beautifully costumed and very well acted interpretation, using John Wood's excellent translation. The tortuous machinations of the action are exploited with skill by the players and even the incredibly nonsensical ending almost becomes probable under Mike Higginson's deft direction. The play revolves around the problems caused when the aged miser (Graeme Horner) plans to wed the girl his son (Paul Lay) has fallen in love with. This causes confusion all round and chaos develops when the miser's hoard of money disappears. There are no weaknesses in the production and Horner's portrayal is superbly evocative and well controlled, while Susan Coral Hampton is fascinatingly vivacious as his daughter. There are also very good performances by Catherine Bateman as a matchmaker, Geoffrey Clifton-Green as a combined cook and coachman, John Wharton as the miser's servant and Tony Donnelly as a frustrated ageing gentleman vainly seeking the hand of the miser's daughter. This is a show that successfully brings Molière 's action-packed story and truly memorable characters to vibrant life. The Miser runs until this Saturday. Roy Atterbury Kentish Times | 21 October 1993