About the work
Scapin the Schemer (Les Fourberies de Scapin) is a three-act prose comedy by Molière, first performed on 24 May 1671 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris. It draws on motifs from Terence's "Phormio" and owes much to the Italian commedia dell'arte.
Plot
In Naples, the cunning servant Scapin invents elaborate stories to persuade the wealthy fathers Argante and Géronte to accept their sons' unauthorised marriages and to hand over money to ransom a beloved. His schemes nearly unravel, but a chain of surprise recognitions resolves the plot in favour of the young couples.
Cultural significance
Initially received coolly by critics such as Boileau for its broad farce, the play went on to become one of the most frequently staged works in French theatre history and was performed repeatedly soon after Molière's death.