L'Étourdi ou les contre-temps

A lively comedy set in Messina, the play follows the impulsive young Lélie as he wrestles with love, rivalry and the expectations of his domineering father. When his cousin Léandre also covets the beautiful Célie, Lélie turns to his quick‑witted servant Mascarille, whose reputation for clever schemes promises a tangle of plots and mischief.

Mascarille’s flamboyant plans clash with the stern authority of the older generation—Pandolfe, Anselme and the meddling Trufaldin—creating a cascade of misunderstandings and witty repartee. The characters’ constant attempts to outwit one another generate a rhythmic dance of deceptions that keeps the audience guessing. With sharp dialogue, playful wordplay and a delightfully chaotic rhythm, the first act sets the stage for a series of comic contraptions that will test the lovers’ patience and the servants’ ingenuity.