The IllusionFreely adapted by playwright Tony Kushner, The Illusion triumphs as a thoroughly modern rendering of Pierre Corneille's neoclassical French comedy, L'Illusion Comique. Already a favorite of theatres throughout the country, this adaptation offers readers the exquisite wordplay, beguiling comedy and fierce intelligence found in all of Kushner's work. The Illusion follows a contrite father, Pridamant, seeking news of his prodigal son from the sorcerer Alcandre. The magician conjures three episodes from the young man's life. Inexplicably, each scene finds the boy in a slightly different world: names change, allegiances shift and fairy-tale simplicity evolves into elegant tragedy. Pridamant watches, enthralled by the boy's struggles, but only as the strange tale reaches its conclusion does the father confront the ultimate - and unexpected - truth about his son. An enchanting argument for the power of theatrical imagination over reality, The Illusion weaves obsession and caprice, romance and murder, fact and fiction, into an enticing exploration of the greatest illusion of all - love. |
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... Illusion Comique contains several scenes and many speeches which do not appear in the French original . There are ... Illusion is for Brian Kulick , collaborator and friend . -Tony Kushner The Illusion CHARACTERS Pridamant of Avignon , a ...
... Illusion Comique contains several scenes and many speeches which do not appear in the French original . There are ... Illusion is for Brian Kulick , collaborator and friend . -Tony Kushner The Illusion CHARACTERS Pridamant of Avignon , a ...
Page 79
... . ALCANDRE : There seems to be some ... misunderstanding here , he's .... Oh my . PRIDAMANT : Yes ? ALCANDRE : Your son . PRIDAMANT : What about him ? ALCANDRE : Well- Pause ; Alcandre looks to the Amanuensis THE ILLUSION 79.
... . ALCANDRE : There seems to be some ... misunderstanding here , he's .... Oh my . PRIDAMANT : Yes ? ALCANDRE : Your son . PRIDAMANT : What about him ? ALCANDRE : Well- Pause ; Alcandre looks to the Amanuensis THE ILLUSION 79.
Page 82
... illusion . The art of illusion is the art of love , and the art of love is the blood - red heart of the world . At times I think there's nothing else . My servant has prepared the bill . PRIDAMANT : I pay bills promptly . I thank you ...
... illusion . The art of illusion is the art of love , and the art of love is the blood - red heart of the world . At times I think there's nothing else . My servant has prepared the bill . PRIDAMANT : I pay bills promptly . I thank you ...
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Common terms and phrases
ADRASTE Amanuensis amuse Angels in America arbor art of love attic Avignon beautiful better blood breathe bush CALISTO cave child CLARINA CLINDOR cold dangerous dead death Delamont dream ears ELICIA epigram eyes father feel flee forever forgive garden GERONTE give gold hand hate hawk hear heart HIPPOLYTA hurt illusion ISABELLE keep killed kiss L'Illusion Comique Le Cid leave live look lover loves Melibea Lyse enter ma'am magician Alcandre maid Matamore enters mean moon murder never night orphan pain pardon Pause Perestroika PIERRE CORNEILLE pity play PLERIBO poor PRIDAMANT Prince Prince of Darkness Queen of Iceland rats rival servant silent son's soul speak starts to exit story strange sweet sword talk tears tell Theatre THEOGENES There's thing thought tongue tonight TONY KUSHNER toothache treason troll vision watch Weeping What's word