creative theatre, or just messing with a good thing?

My nearby "professional" theatre just opened Scapin -- the classic Moliere comedy. I was really looking froward to seeing this production. I haven't read or seen this play since I performed a scene for my acting class back in college. I really like Moliere, and the lack of Moliere productions is a sad commentary on American theatre. So you can imagine how delighted I was to see a Moliere play on the Commonweal Theatre's play schedule.

And then I read a review this weekend.

It seems that they have gender-reversed some of the leading roles, and without even seeing it, I'm not too happy about this.

The amplifying gender stereotypes is part of what makes Moliere so much fun and funny.

Perhaps the theatre is trying to make a point that our gender roles aren't as clearly unique as we think. Perhaps they were stuck for males to fill the roles but had plenty of female talent. Perhaps they just wanted to be creative and give us a "new angle" on a piece of classic theatre. Perhaps it just bites.

Personally, I'm a little sick and tired of our "creative types" (and I use the term loosely and with much sarcasm) trying to find new ways to present classic theatre. Why? Is there something wrong with the classics as they are written?

Don't get me wrong. One of the things that I love most about theatre is that every script can be interpreted in a different way. But when the interpretation line is crossed over into rewriting, I think there's a problem. Changing the gender roles in a Moliere comedy is rewriting. Staging Shakespeare's A Midsummers Night Dream as if at a 1920's tennis camp, is rewriting (yes, I saw this production).

Part of my irritation is that so many of these classics have never been seen (or read) by most people. This production of Scapin might well be the only Moliere most people ever see. Is it equitable that we treat these people to something that is most definitely NOT Moliere, but call it so?

I will still go see it. But I'm now going in with some hesitation and even anger. They will have to work harder to win me over (and that's not fair to them or me).

I'll post my thoughts here when I've seen the production.

How do you feel about theatre taking great liberties with scripts?