As the program reveals, Ces Dames Pointilleuses is the one Goldoni play Giorgio Strehler wanted to stage but didn't, for lack of a young-enough Arlequin, so central to commedia dell'arte. His disciple, Attilio Maggiulli, trained one (Guillaume Collignon) so the play could be put on, and-while not yet a star, he brightly leads, with acrobatics extending to atop the banisters separating the audience, the cast of characters introduced by Pantalon (Jean-Pierre Taste) . They take the gold-filled, painted split stage that will represent mainly a Palazzo and Circolo de Nobili where impoverished nobility will conflict with noble newly rich. Of the latter, the dominant couple, who look aristocratic as imaginable in clothes of subdued color but rich fabrics, Florindo shows particular interest in real estate, while beautiful Helene Lestrade's Rosaura is flirted with by the flatterer, Onofrio. Soon Rosaura is being courted by the impoverished but haughty titled ladies. With huge rosebud lips, Valerie Francais presents a coarse Faminia and later Countess Beatrice. Much of the humor involves the simple sipping of chocolate, to which Rosaura is invited and which Arlequin craves but keeps getting gypped out of.
Though they'd gladly take advantage of Rosaura's money, Beatrice and two gal-pals, played by men (one with five o'clock shadow and the other with a black butterfly vest for a bust), end up bored with and ignoring her. She regains the center of attention by inviting them to a lavish affair at her place. This allows for great showing off of jewelry and costumes, featured in Fellini's "Casanova." Preparations permit funny lazzi, in which Arlequin tries to rest, even upside down with feet on the ceiling, as well as engaging in a game of tag with a fly and in packing. Later shenanigans at an inn include Ottavio getting drunk and Pantalon having to get the actors to cooperate in their parts. At the rich couple's ball, Collignon doubles impressively as a Ballet Master, all in red with fantastic mask. Rosaura, who wears gold with a cattish mask, purrs until real cattiness from Beatrice makes Rosaura tell her off.
After further scene and tableaux, along with attempted assassinations of those on the outs and with money, Arlequin appears drunk and gets caught in the trap. For the only time in a Goldoni play, Arlequin dies (though he has first secured a sought-for purse). Florindo calls for sad music as Arlequin's body is carried off by Pantalon and Lelio the singer mourns. Subsequently, at a salon meeting, Rosaura tells the other women what the Countess was ready to do for money and repays her perfidy by sneering at her state "inferior to mine." As the aristocrats abandon Beatrice in her shame, the able Pantalon again must bring his mugging actors into line. When she decides to leave town, he announces the comedy's end.
As the cast comes forward for bows, Arlequin returns from the dead with dreams for an anti-aristocratic, revolutionary future -- and, for his and the cast's parts in this seriously funny production -- hearty audience appreciation.
