Author: Justin Fleming    Publisher: Phoenix Education

This is a new translation by Justin Fleming of Molière’s The School for Wives, first staged in Paris in 1662.



Arnolde, a wealthy business man, reveals that he confined a young girl, Agnes, in a convent as a child so that some day she may be his innocent, ignorant and therefore dutiful wife. Now that Agnes is of marrying age, Arnolde hides her in a house and plans their wedding.



Horace, the handsome son of Arnolde’s friend, catches a glimpse of Agnes, and falls in love with her. By boldly gaining access to the house, he learns from Agnes how her master keeps her a prisoner from the world.



Incensed at Horace’s secret advances, Arnolde forbids Agnes from seeing Horace and sends for a lawyer to prepare the marriage contract.



But in an hilarious sequence of events, Fate reveals that it has a very different plan in mind.



“Moliere would surely have approved of Justin Fleming's daring new version, a taut, biting and extremely funny masterpiece of translation. In some ways, Fleming's words are the stars of this show, which zings along in rhyming couplets, true to Moliere's original, but also detours effortlessly into the realm of alternate rhyme to provide contrast for a modern audience's ears.”

Bind: paperback

Publication Date: 18-07-2014

Availability Date: 18-07-2014

Tag: Education