Lilo Baur's L'Avare Returns to Comédie-Française with Laurent Stocker as Harpagon

Laurent Stocker takes on the role of Harpagon in Lilo Baur's production of Molière's L'Avare at the Comédie-Française, Salle Richelieu. The staging, which premiered in April 2022, returns from November 30, 2026, to March 9, 2027. Harpagon, a ruthless usurer consumed by paranoia and calculation, values his gold more than his children. The plot revolves around his buried cassette of gold and his plans to marry his daughter Élise "without dowry" to a wealthy merchant and his son Cléante to a rich widow. However, Élise loves Valère, who has infiltrated the household as an intendant, and Cléante desires Mariane, unaware that his father intends to marry her himself. Baur emphasizes Molière's themes of forced marriage, father-son conflict, and the elusive quest for lost youth. The cast includes Serge Bagdassarian as Maître Jacques, Jean Chevalier as Cléante, Clément Bresson as Valère, Alain Lenglet as Anselme, and Nicolas Chupin as La Flèche. The creative team features scenography by Bruno de Lavenère, costumes by Agnès Falque, and original music by Mich Ochowiak. Performances run for 2 hours without intermission, suitable for ages 11 and up, with tickets priced from 5 to 56 euros. The venue is located at Place Colette, 75001 Paris, accessible via Palais-Royal-Musée du Louvre metro station (lines 1 and 7). This revival brings Molière's sharpest comedy back to the French national theater, highlighting timeless themes of greed and familial strife.