The Beau's Lesson

"A forgotten gem... one of the Marivaux plays that have stood the test of time." (Financial Times) "Ranks with the other, better known works of the master of games of love and chance... [but] something more serious may be going on in this play, whose austerity of plot and denseness of dialogue suggest the author's desire to touch a deep, hard core." (Le Monde) This is the first English-language version in the long history of a charming psychological comedy, Le Petit-ma�tre corrig�, recently produced by the Com�die Fran�aise to great acclaim. The previous production, nearly 300 years earlier, did not go so well. In 18th century France rival authors would arrange cabals, the opposite of claques, to hoot a new play off the stage. Voltaire had managed to close down another Marivaux comedy in this way in 1732; and two years later an unknown rival would close down this play. The long-deferred revival was hailed by critics and warmly welcomed by audiences through its run in 2017, on the strength of which it was filmed for showing on screens throughout France in 2018. Now English-speaking readers can appreciate this new-found classic for themselves, in a faithful yet supple translation that captures all of Marivaux's characteristic nuance, charm and playfulness. A young man and woman facing an arranged marriage are actually falling in love. But he can't admit it, and till he does she won't have him. And if she doesn't, he faces hell from his mother and worse from an old flame. Luckily, a shrewd maid and an openhearted valet know best and bring things to a happy end.