Doctor Scratch and Other Plays. Noël le Breton

Three French comedies revolving around marriage, misidentification, medicine–and money! <P> DOCTOR SCRATCH, by Noël le Breton, is a clever and hilarious farce, in which love becomes hopelessly entangled in the attempts by the characters to improve their declining financial situations. <P> THE SERVANT PROBLEM, by Alain-René Lesage, the well-known novelist, two criminals manage to insert themselves as valets to several young men looking to marry the daughters of wealthy families–and decide to abscond with the dowry themselves! <P> In THE FORFEITURE, by Charles Dufresny, a handsome young man is constricted in his marriage prospects by the fact that his two maiden-lady aunts control the family fortune, which can only be forfeited to him if they marry. Another valet takes charge by seducing both women in different guises. <P> Three very funny–and very modern–takes on the art and science of romancing!