Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme in Mons

Molière's timeless comedy-ballet *Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme* comes to Mons for a single performance. This five-act masterpiece, first staged for Louis XIV in 1670, blends spoken theatre with music and dance by Lully. The plot follows Monsieur Jourdain, a wealthy cloth merchant obsessed with becoming an aristocrat, whose bumbling attempts at refinement lead to hilarious situations—including the famous discovery that he has been speaking prose all his life.

Attendees can expect a vibrant production that satirizes social climbing and class pretension. The original featured Molière himself as Jourdain, with choreography by Pierre Beauchamp and sets by Carlo Vigarani. This staging brings together the finest elements of French baroque theatre, from fencing and philosophy lessons to a mock-Turkish ceremony. It's a rare chance to see a cornerstone of Western drama performed live.

The play's sharp humor and timeless themes make it as relevant today as it was at the court of the Sun King.