The Liar

IT’S A WHOPPER

The French have a knack for making us rethink our notions about love, and David Ives has a knack for outrageous comedy. Which makes this adaptation of The Liar a perfect storm of the sexy and the silly. Everything about this play is engineered to make us laugh. We have a man who cannot tell a lie, and another who can’t do anything but. We have two ladies whose liaisons run hot and cold, and two identical servants who are far from interchangeable. All of them are simply seeking someone to make them happy. Whether that’s forever or for the night is another question entirely. It’s joyful and bawdy and utterly brilliant, written completely in rhyming couplets and featuring actors who know how to make the most of every bon mot. Runs June 16 - September 29.

Synopsis

Ridiculousness abounds in this warm and hilarious adaptation of Corneille’s famous farce. Charming Dorante is a shameless liar, and he’s just arrived in Paris with good times on his mind. He very quickly falls in love with a local lady, Clarice, who he has mistaken for her best friend, Lucrece. Further complicating matters is that, unbeknownst to Dorante, Clarice is already engaged - to his childhood friend, Alcippe. Throw in a servant who cannot tell a lie, and a father who is anxious to marry off his wayward son, and you’ve got the type of uproarious comedies that APT does best. Don't miss it.

Casting subject to change

The Liar Portable Prologue on Apple Podcasts

The Liar Portable Prologue on Spotify

The Liar at APT
Video by Hannah Jo Anderson

'The Liar' at American Players Theatre is a raucous delight
By Gwendolyn Rice, Isthmus, July 11, 2023

APT's flirty play 'The Liar' is full of gleeful comic fire
By Lindsay Christians, The Cap Times, July 26, 2023

Director's Note

I love new frontiers. I relish an opportunity to explore something new, especially artistically. So much of my experience, both here at American Players Theatre and in my freelance career elsewhere, has been directing modern dramas and contemporary new plays. So when I found myself reading David Ives’ The Liar, an audacious farcical romantic comedy told in rhyming couplets, I knew I’d been given a great gift.

The Liar is an adaptation of Le Menteur, a 17th century French farce by Pierre Corneille. The Liar centers on Dorante, a pathological liar who comes to Paris to find adventure, excitement, and most importantly, love. He swiftly employs a valet named Cliton, (a man committed to always telling the truth) and this mismatched comic duo is off to find some fun. One irresistible feature

of The Liar is how it delights in complications. Be on the lookout for quickly emerging love affairs, hot-headed lovers, a fantastical duel and a smattering of mistaken identities. Surprises abound and hijinks and tomfoolery await around every corner!

When my designers and I started discussing the world of The Liar, we determined that reading the play felt like eating a bag of candy, specifically Jolly Ranchers. Like candy, the play is juicy, delectable, surprising, irresistible, and - most of all, infectiously fun. We endeavored to build a world that mimics that experience. We wanted our environment to have the same burst of energy, color and vivacity. We wanted the design to be a treat for the senses.

There are many reasons to fall in love with The Liar: the lush language, the charming characters who manage to be both absurdly over-the-top and intensely relatable, the seemingly impossible verbal gymnastics, the way it manages to honor the 17th century period in which it was originally written and feel utterly contemporary. But my two favorite aspects of the play: 1) it exists primarily for the purpose of FUN. It will make you laugh. And I believe with my whole self that laughter is essential to our well-being. 2) It acknowledges our collective desire as human beings for love and adventure. We all want to find that person who electrifies us, makes us feel loved, and challenges us to be the best versions of ourselves.

I am a deep lover of language, (one of many reasons I cherish working with APT) and if you're sitting in this wonderful theater in the woods I suspect you are too. I know you will treasure the clever wordplay and the imaginative whip-smart verse which is a primary feature of this play. But I hope you will also bask in all of its foolish fun and marvel at how lovingly ludicrous it is as well.

We put this goody bag of candy together just for you. I hope you enjoy it.

- Keira Fromm, Director of The Liar