The Misanthrope – Molière at the Theater Am Hagen


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An Evening of Clear Words: Molière's 'The Misanthrope' in Straubing
Alceste against Courtly Hypocrisy: When Molière's sharp-tongued comedy 'The Misanthrope' takes to the stage at the Theater Am Hagen, a theatrical experience emerges, blending wit, truthfulness, and fine social satire. The Landestheater Niederbayern brings this timeless comedy to Straubing in a new production.
Truth Meets Salon: The Plot with Bite
At the center is Alceste, the uncompromising honest man, who despises the tone of his contemporaries yet loves none other than Célimène – a brilliant hostess of the Parisian salons. In sparkling dialogues, ideals clash with intrigues, desire for love meets etiquette. Molière unfolds a pointed picture of social mores that continues to elicit audience reactions ranging from liberating laughter to contemplative silence.
Direction and Acting Craft
Directed by Heinz Oliver Karbus. The dramaturgy focuses on precision in metrical verse, dynamic rhythm, and the friction between private truthfulness and public mask. Set designer Markus Falkensteiner creates clear spaces where lighting moods indicate societal temperature changes; costumes by Katja Salzbrenner contrast elegant surfaces with inner truths. Live music elements by Peter WesenAuer provide subtle transitions and ironic accents.
Set Design, Sound, Atmosphere
A reduced, elegant setting allows language to shine. Warm wood and velvet tones meet cool mirror surfaces – a play of perspectives. The theater atmosphere in the hall supports precise acoustics: whisper duels, keywords, counterarguments – every word hits its mark. When the light sharpens the contours, conversation turns into chamber play.
Dramaturgical Context
'The Misanthrope' (fr. Le Misanthrope, 1666) is one of Molière's great character comedies and dissects the social ballet with surgical precision. The character Alceste reflects the desire for sincerity – and its price. The production exposes this ambivalence and transforms the comedy into a character drama with pace.
Press Resonance on the Work
Recent German-language productions have shown how modern the piece appears: pop cultural interpretations emphasize the mask games of the present, while critiques commend wordplay, ensemble energy, and the relevance of social analysis.
Conclusion
Expect an elegant, punchline-precise performance that merges comedy and character study. An evening for all who love linguistic precision, strong direction, and intelligent acting – vibrant, alert, stimulating.
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Sources:
- Landestheater Niederbayern – The Misanthrope (Dates, Team, Price Category)
- Theater Am Hagen – Prices and General Info
- Landestheater Niederbayern – Service: Directions to Theater Am Hagen, Parking
- City of Straubing – Theater Am Hagen (Seating, Venue Info)
- Theater Am Hagen – Service and Cloakroom
- Die Deutsche Bühne – Review 'The Misanthrope', 26.10.2025










