Le Medecin Malgre Lui

Sganarelle, a woodcutter, a drunk and a brute, beats his wife, Martine. To avenge herself, she makes believe her husband is a doctor but who would only work after being beaten up.

Luncinde, Géronte's daughter, in love with Léandre, doesn't agree to her father's arranged marriage to Horace. She pretends to be mute in order to protest about it. To treat her daughter, Géronte appoints Sganarelle.

After being beaten up by the servants, he starts taking his new position seriously. Against all odds, this doctor, in spite of himself, performs miracles. Lucinde’s voice comes back to stand up for her marriage to Léandre. Géronte accepts him as his son in law when he inherits a little fortune. Sganarelle forgives his wife and lives on to be a doctor.

Molière, at the top of his art, combines marvellously the tradition of French farce with the heritage of Italian Commedia Dell'Arte, still being faithful to his own previous pieces and where his versatile genius – actor, director, satirist – never forgets the action. He said himself : "comedies are only made to be performed".