A scene from "Les Fourberies de Scapin." Photo from the show organizers

Ask your French friend which historical figure holds the same importance to French literature as Shakespeare does to English literature, and the answer you are very likely to get is Molière. Widely regarded as the greatest of all writers of French comedy, the playwright’s influence is such that the French language is often referred to as “the language of Molière.” 

This October, audience members in Shenzhen will have a chance to experience the charm of Molière’s  comedy, as La Comédie Française from France will bring “Les Fourberies de Scapin,” a three-act comedy by Molière, to the Pingshan Theater during the upcoming National Day holiday.

Born in a wealthy family in 1622, Molière, whose real name was Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, developed a passion for plays at a young age. At the age of 21, this love for the stage prompted him to abandon his social class and renounce the lucrative posts working for the royal household he assumed from his father.

Together with a few others, they founded the theater company Illustre Théâtre, which went bankrupt two years later and the debts caused Molière to be sent to prison. After his father bought him out of prison, he fled Paris and spent the following 13 years with a traveling troupe touring different provinces, during which he dealt with people from all social strata and was inspired to begin play writing.

First staged in 1671, “Les Fourberies de Scapin” is set in Naples, Italy. Léandre and Octave, two young men from well-to-do families, have each fallen in love with a woman of lesser means while their fathers are out of town. But their fathers return with marriage plans for them.

Léandre’s valet Scapin, with his schemes, lies and tricks, manages to procure enough money from the two families’ patriarchs for the young couples to stay married. It turns out that Léandre’s lover Zerbinette is the daughter of Octave’s father, and Octave’s lover Hyacinthe is the daughter of Léandre’s father, and the two fathers accept their sons’ marriage.  

The show will be in French with Chinese subtitles.

Established in 1680, seven years after Molière’s death, as the result of a decree from Louis XIV to merge Molière’s company of actors with another, La Comédie Française is also known as “La Maison de Molière.” The national theater of France and the world’s longest established national theater, it has a lasting influence on the development of French theater, literature, and culture.

Time: 3 p.m., Oct. 5-6

Booking: WeChat account “PingShanTheatre”

Venue: Pingshan Theater, Pingshan District (坪山大剧院)

Metro: Line 14 to Pingshan Square Station (坪山广场站), Exit D1 

SkyShuttle: Line 1 to Culture Center Station (文化聚落站), Exit A