Knock, ou Le triomphe de la médecine

Members of the cast of

Knock, ou Le triomphe de la médecine By Rachel Haynie

Staging its first play is L'Alliance Française de Columbia's latest way of spreading French language and culture well beyond the borders of France.

Two performances of the satire, Knock, ou Le triomphe de la médecine , will be in the Columbia Museum of Art (CMA) auditorium Feb. 16, at 6:30 pm, and the Sunday, Feb. 18, at 2 pm.

The credo of the main character, played by Jean Marie Mille is "The healthy are sick people who don't know it." Mille, who translated the well- known 1924 play by French dramatist Jules Romains into English, suggested it as Alliance Francais' first production.

Putting a play together first came up at a 2005 Christmas party. Members chose the parts they wanted to play. "Somebody had to direct, so I said I would," said Sylvie Dessau.

Mille's role as the lead is by far the most demanding. "He is on stage for all but two short scenes," said Dessau.

The attorney plays the charismatic doctor Knock who, by taking advantage of the credulity, fear, and greed of small town people, imposes "the reign of medicine." Using scientific double talk, ominous pauses, and frightening images, he manages to convert a group of robust villagers into hypochondriacs.

The director's next stroke of luck was that member Jeanne- Marie Siva offered to be costume mistress. Dessau said Workshop Theatre's "gigantic stock of costumes for rent formed our basis. Jeanne- Marie transformed and added to them to get the feel of the '20s."

The 11 actors, director and technical team are a microcosm of the cultural organization.

"We are from France, the U.S., Cameroon, Belgium, Brazil, and Spain. We have professors, teachers, a marketing guy, an engineer. One of the book club regulars is a man from Cuba,"said Dessau.

Dessau said in addition to CMA's kindness, the City of Columbia allowed the troupe to rehearse at Katheryn M. Bellfield/Booker Washington Heights Cultural Arts Center.

Besides Dessau and Mille, the cast and crew is comprised of Frederic Belinga- Awomo, Chantal Smith, Manel Lirola, Pierre Fuziol, Helene Everett, Angelica Lopes, Fred Perry, Steve Keller, Jeff Persels, Danielle Augustin, and Cathy Pontens Alemu.