Let me declare one thing from the outset: my decayed schoolboy
French left me scrabbling rather pathetically after the meaning of what
was said.
What I can report about this 2 CD set is that it preserves
a dedicated stage production complete with an audience afflicted with
the usual maladies of shuffles and coughing - it was, after all, October
when the recording was made!
The parts are played with feeling and clarity. The
whole production declares its exclusively Francophone values. The notes
are in French only. The text is not printed although it is presumably
easily enough available - not least on the internet.
I can imagine such a set forming a stylistic cleansing
for any serious student of French and also easing study and enjoyment
of the play for both students and a more general audience especially
in France itself, D.O.M. and beyond.
The CDs are separately tracked but this advantage is
diluted by the fact that the tracks are described only on the CDs themselves.
Thus:-
Acte I
Track 1 Scènes 1/2
Track 2 Scène 3
Track 3 Scènes 4/5
Acte II
Track 4 Scène 1
Track 5 Scènes 2/3
Track 6 Scènes 4/5/6
Acte III
Track 7 Scène 1
Track 8 Scènes 2/3/4
Track 9 Scènes 5/6
CD2
Acte IV
Track 1 Scène 1
Track 2 Scènes 2/3/4
Track 3 Scènes 5/6
Acte V
Track 4 Scène 1/2
Track 5 Scènes 3/4
Track 6 Scènes 5/6
Track 7 Scènes 7
The notes are only in French.
Rob Barnett
mise-en-scène -
Jean-Marie Villégier