Having first seen an ETT production at the age of fifteen , I was delighted that after graduating from drama school in September, on a flying visit home to see my family in Malvern I was able to catch the ETT's current production of The Hypochondriac.
I've admired Roger McGough's work since my early teens, so was excited to learn it was he who had adapted the piece, and he did not disappoint. With a fair amount of chopping from Moliere’s original script, McGough has produced a tight, fast paced, and at times hilarious adaptation playing with the verse in such a way that when spoken by the actors the effect is as if listening to a highly skilled pianist tinkle the ivory's most pleasingly. Of course credit must also be paid to the actors, most of who achieve this very pleasing delivery, however I believe the material lays ample foundations on which the actors are able to build. Those who know McGoughs work (including his little venture in to the pop charts - watch out for a couple of familiar lines in the script!).
Production values are - as always with the ETT - excellent with exquisite costuming and very detailed, amusing and effective set design. Each aspect of this production compliments the other.
Clive Francis is an excellent leader of the company - exuding energy (although he is on stage for almost all of the performance), possessing immaculate comic timing, masterfully performing the lead in this piece, and in all honesty seeming to have an absolute ball throughout. Leanne Best matches Frances with her high energy and beautiful comic timing as Toinette - she is a joy to watch as is Tony Dantzic's hilarious mismatched suitor, Thomas. Lucinda Raikes is lovely and flighty as Angelique, and Simon Coates brings a little calm and sense to proceedings with a strong and grounded Beralde. A beautifully directed, adapted and mostly acted piece of theatre.

Dear English Touring Theatre,

What a treat, what joy! We were at the New Wolsey to see The Hypochondriac and were totally captivated by your blissful performance. How we laughed and how we were tickled by your timing and puns.

It is very moving to see such work and congratulate you all for marvellous perfomances and spectacular delivery of Roger McGough's terrific script.

Thank you,

Richard and Geraldine Taylor,

Tunstall, Suffolk

Many congratulations to everyone on The Hypochondriac which we greatly enjoyed at the Yvonne Arnaud on 22 October. We thought that Leanne Best was outstanding as Toinette.

Wow, what a performance! I hadn't read Moliere since High School and don't speak a word of French so I wasn't particularly keen on seeing this play. However it was my partner's birthday and he got to pick the activity to celebrate. He was very insistent there would be something in it to amuse me, as I am a nurse.

Oh my God it was hilarious. In fact it was so good I am certain I must have missed a good 20% of the literary genius in the translation and adaptation. Before I'd finish processing one brilliantly delivered and perfectly outrageously funny line, 2 or 3 more would be coming at me faster than I could think. I felt the presence of both Moliere AND Benny Hill in the theatre, it was so comically spritual.

Please please please tell me how I can get a copy of the script so I can read what I might have missed. It really is something you need to see more than once, as most mere mortals such as myself could not possibly catch everything in one go.

Again, an amazing script, performance and memorable night out. Please thank Mr. McGough and the cast.

Hi,
Caught your production at Malvern with three friends.
Fantastic!
We all had a whale of a time. Every one of the cast had impeccable timing and such a dream script nonetheless takes expert delivery.
A terrific production that steamed along and was absolutely first rate entertainment. What a treat. Thank you!
Best Wishes, P Rushton

I wanted to write to say how much I enjoyed The Hypochondriac at Cambridge. It was totally wonderful- bright, witty, pacy and thoroughly entertaining. Thank you so much.

Went to see this last night - took a while for the style to grow on me but it did and I really enjoyed the humour, with some great acting.