Scapin the Schemer


Scapin the Schemer is a three-act comedy of intrigue by the French playwright Molière. The title character Scapin is similar to the archetypical Scapino character. The play was first staged on 24 May 1671 in the Théâtre du [Palais-Royal (rue Saint-Honoré)|theatre of the Palais-Royal] in Paris.
The original play is in French but, like many of Molière's plays, it has been translated into many different languages. Adaptations in English include the 1676 The Cheats of Scapin by Thomas Otway and Scapino by Frank Dunlop and Jim Dale in 1974, which has also been further adapted by Noyce Burleson. Bill Irwin and Mark O'Donnell also adapted the play, as Scapin, in 1995.
In the play, Octave has secretly married without his father's permission. Léandre has also chosen his own prospective wife. When their respective fathers reveal their plans for arranged marriages for their boys, the sons want to keep their current spouses. The trickster Scapin intervenes on their behalf, convinced that nothing is impossible to achieve.

Characters

; Scapin : Léandre's valet and "fourbe"
; Léandre : Son of Géronte and lover of Zerbinette
; Octave : Son of Argante and lover of Hyacinthe
; Géronte : Father of Léandre and of Hyacinthe
; Argante : Father of Octave and of Zerbinette
; Hyacinthe : Daughter of Géronte and lover of Octave
; Zerbinette : Daughter of Argante and lover of Léandre, believed to be a gypsy girl
; Silvestre : Octave's valet
; Carle : "Fourbe"
; Nérine : Hyacinthe's wet nurse
; Two porters

Plot

Scapin constantly lies and tricks people to get ahead. He is an arrogant, pompous man who acts as if nothing were impossible for him. However, he is also a diplomatic genius. He manages to play the other characters off of each other very easily, and yet manages to keep his overall goal — to help the young couples — in sight.
In their fathers' absence, Octave has secretly married Hyacinthe, while Léandre has secretly fallen in love with Zerbinette. But the fathers return from a trip with marriage plans for their respective sons. Scapin, after hearing many pleas for help, comes to their rescue. Thanks to many tricks and lies, Scapin manages to come up with enough money from the parents to make sure that the young couples get to stay married. But, no one knows who Hyacinthe and Zerbinette really are. It ends in the classic happy ending, and Scapin is even brought to the head of the table at the ending feast.