Arlequin, Valet de deux maitres

With characters introduced and their link to the stock ones of the Commedia dell’Arte made clear by the narrator (clear-voiced David Clair, who also frequently points to bridges in the action), Carlo Goldoni’s master play, The Servant of Two Masters, proceeds in a spirited pace to show how the comic Arlequin gets into and out of the dilemma of serving two masters and keeping them unaware of his duplicity. His major motive: double pay and double food to voraciously consume!

Emmanuel Besnault is a nimble and endearing Arlequin, colorful as the diamond pattern on his clothing. He frequently initiates lazzi, including his big scene of gorging himself at the height of his double duty. Beatrice (the divine Helene Lestrade), his mistress come to Venice in disguise as her thought-dead brother, will try to collect the dowry greedy Pantalon (bent and boogey-man-like Caroline Riche) owed him to marry Clarice.

Clarice (Manon Barthelemy, vamping) wants to wed attentive Silvio Georges Cotillard, doting). Beatrice wants to find her lover Florindo (Clair) and use the dowry to help him escape and marry her. She confides to Clarice her identity and reasons for disguise, gaining her friendship. But Silvio gets jealous.

Arlequin, who has found Florindo, goes into his employ, thus leasing himself to two masters. He also tries to seduce Clarice’s maid Smeraldine (Jean-Jacqus Pivert, comically in drag). For most of the play, he runs back and forth trying to please each boss and keep them and theirs apart.

One of the funniest bits is occasioned by Arlequin putting portraits and an account book containing letters in wrong places where they get into the wrong hands. This leads to false identities being exposed and lovers on the verge of death. But this is comedy, after all, and things work out in harmony, like that of the bass violin music with which Marie-Laure Bouret has accented turns of plot and embellished many frantic activities.

Never a dull moment is assured by director Attilio Maguilli. He also takes advantage when possible of the agility of Besnault (Arlequin), which often borders on dance, and of the fine voice of Helene Lestrade with bursts of song.