History Theatre / CyranodeBergerac

Is there [[AnAesop a moral]]? Well, "don't let vanity hold you back," and "LoveAtFirstSight is ridiculous."

Critics consider this play notable for being both a cruel satire and straight celebration of the tropes and themes most associated with the The Cavalier Years.

* ArcWords: ''panache''

* Badass: '''Cyrano'''.

* HeroicSelfDepreciation: Cyrano.

* BadassBoast: Cyrano’s gasconades are spread among the entire play beginning with Act I Scene IV.

* FloweryInsults

* KissingCousins: Cyrano is in love with his cousin Roxane, but she can only see him as a brother. At Act II Scene VI, Cyrano and Roxane tenderly remember when they were children and played each spring at Cyrano's house at Bergerac.

* KissingCousins: Cyrano is in love with his cousin Roxane, but but she can only see him as a brother. At Act II Scene VI, Cyrano and Roxane tenderly remember when they were children and played each spring at Cyrano's house at Bergerac.

* KissingCousins: Cyrano and Roxane. Except [[StarCrossedLovers without any actual kissing]].

* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: At Act II Scene VI, Cyrano and Roxane tenderly remember when they were children and played each spring at Cyrano's house at Bergerac. Cyrano is in love with his cousin Roxane, and they were childhoods friends, but but she can only see him as a brother.

There are two notable film adaptations: one from 1950 which garnered a Best Actor for José Ferrer, and the acclaimed 1990 version directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau and starring Gérard Depardieu. In addition, the 1987 movie ''{{Roxanne}}'', starring Steve Martin, is a modernized take on the story. The Disney Channel original movie ''Let it Shine'' is also clearly based off of this play, even going as far as to giving the main characters similar names (Cyrano= Cyrus; Christian= Chris; Roxanne= Roxy, whose full name is actually Roxanne).

There are two notable film adaptations: one from 1950 which garnered a Best Actor for José Ferrer, and a 1990 version directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau. In addition, the 1987 movie ''{{Roxanne}}'', starring Steve Martin, is a modernized take on the story. The Disney Channel original movie ''Let it Shine'' is also clearly based off of this play, even going as far as to giving the main characters similar names (Cyrano= Cyrus; Christian= Chris; Roxanne= Roxy, whose full name is actually Roxanne).

[[OverlyLongName Hercule-Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac]] -- [[WarriorPoet the legendary poet, duelist]], [[RenaissanceMan soldier, philosopher, physicist, musician, playwright, and novelist]] -- has a problem. He has an enormous nose, which he believes makes him so incredibly ugly that he thinks no woman could ever love him, and fears his love for [[KissingCousins his cousin]] Roxane will never be reciprocated. Just when he's mustered the courage to hand her the love letter he's written, she announces that she's in love with the beautiful Christian, and asks Cyrano to protect him against danger. Roxane has fallen in love with Christian [[LoveAtFirstSight at first sight]] and tells Cyrano that if Christian isn't intellectual enough for her, she would be so disappointed that she could die. Cyrano resolves to [[IJustWantMyBelovedToBeHappy subdue his love for her]] and tell Christian about Roxane’s love. Christian despairs, because he also loves Roxane, and even though he is very handsome, he's inarticulate, and believes Roxane would never accept him. So, Cyrano, trying to express his love and to not disappoint Roxane, eagerly offers to script Christian's courtship, beginning by giving him Cyrano's own love letter for Roxane. Naturally, [[HilarityEnsues hilarity]] (and swashbuckling, and eventually tragedy) ensues.

[[OverlyLongName Hercule-Savinien De Cyrano de Bergerac]] -- [[WarriorPoet the legendary poet, duelist]], [[RenaissanceMan soldier, philosopher, physicist, musician, playwright, and novelist]] -- has a problem. He has an enormous nose, which he believes makes him so incredibly ugly that he thinks no woman could ever love him, and fears his love for [[KissingCousins his cousin]] Roxane will never be reciprocated. Just when he's mustered the courage to hand her the love letter he's written, she announces that she's in love with the beautiful Christian, and asks Cyrano to protect him against danger. Roxane has fallen in love with Christian [[LoveAtFirstSight at first sight]] and tells Cyrano that if Christian isn't intellectual enough for her, she would be so disappointed that she could die. Cyrano resolves to [[IJustWantMyBelovedToBeHappy subdue his love for her]] and tell Christian about Roxane’s love. Christian despairs, because he also loves Roxane, and even though he is very handsome, he's inarticulate, and believes Roxane would never accept him. So, Cyrano, trying to express his love and to not disappoint Roxane, eagerly offers to script Christian's courtship, beginning by giving him Cyrano's own love letter for Roxane. Naturally, [[HilarityEnsues hilarity]] (and swashbuckling, and eventually tragedy) ensues.

** '''Barons:''' All the Gascon Cadets are Barons that indulge in killing anyone who is not OfThePeople trying to join them, and their ideal is to be an HeroicSociopath.

** ''The Hero Of Romance '' is an expy and SpearCounterpart of Dulcinea, a character from ''Literature/DonQuixote'': A ShadowArchetype who [[ShallowLoveInterest embodies all that is lovable (and none of the defects) of a woman or a man]], and that only lives in the mind of his lover.

Critics consider this play notable notable for being both a cruel satire and straight celebration of the tropes and themes most associated with the The Cavalier Years.

* HumiliationConga: Cyrano puts Valvert through one and De Guiche through many, Roxane puts Christian through one and the last four acts are a long HumiliationConga for Cyrano.

The play is VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory -- [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrano_de_Bergerac there really was]] a French playwright, duelist, and ghost writer of love letters named Cyrano de Bergerac, and the main characters in the play (Roxane, Christian, De Guiche) also existed. This play is as well researched as a RomanAClef, because Rostand was an academic that researched France’s literary environment [[TheCavalierYears at the 17th century]], so all the [[HistoricalDomainCharacter incidental writers, poets, actors]], period pieces, places and battles [[ShownTheirWork really existed at that time)]].

* TheAce: Christian and Cyrano decide to create a perfect "hero of romance" that includes each of their best traits because Christian and Cyrano believe that '''it's''' the only one who has a chance to be paired with Roxane.

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Being a member of Les Precieuses, Roxane believes that if Christian is fair, [[BeautyEqualsGoodness therefore he must be eloquent]]:
* TheBeard: Viscount de Valvert is willing to marry Roxane so Count De Guiche will bully her to be his [[TheMistress mistress]].

When to the ill-starred Prince the lady says

But I remain the same, up to the last!

* BrokenPedestal: [[{{Moliere}} Molière]], in Ragueneau's eyes, for stealing a scene from Cyrano. Cyrano himself thinks [[{{Moliere}} Molière]] has good taste and is truly thankful because he knows that it's the only of his works that will not be forgotten.

* CurbStompBattle: The highly probable outcome of any battle ([[VolleyingInsults of wits]] or [[SwordFight of swords]]) with Cyrano.

* DespiteThePlan:

** Raguenau is an expy of M. Jourdain, protagonist of ''Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme'' (a play by {{Moliere}}.)

** ''The Hero Of Romance '' is an expy and SpearCounterpart of Dulcinea, a character from ''Literature/DonQuixote'': A ShadowArchetype who [[ShallowLoveInterest embodies all that is lovable (and none of the defects) of a woman or a man]], and that only lives in the mind of his lover.

* HiddenDepths:

--> '''Cyrano:''' [[LovesMyAlterEgo 'Twas he!]]

* JerkAss: This play deconstructs this trope, as a matter of fact; it’s easier to mention the people who don’t act like a jerkass to someone, sometime in the play. [[hottip:*:(Le Bret, the buffet Girl, the nuns)]]

--> '''Ragueneau:''' Have you been in some danger?
--> '''Cyrano:''' [[BlatantLies None in the world.]]
--> '''Lise:''' ''(shaking her finger at him)'' Methinks you speak not the truth in saying that!

* SecretlyDying: Cyrano, due to a...

* SideBet: Cyrano has threatened to punish Montfleaury if he acts in ''La Clorise''. Raguenau and the first Marquis bet a fowl ''"a la Raguenau"'' over if he will fulfill his threat or not.

* ShapedLikeItself: Act I Scene VII, just before Cyrano will fight against one hundred men, he combines this trope with a BadassBoast:

* ShoutOut:

* TakeThat:
** Cyrano and his troops are enemies of [[Literature/TheThreeMusketeers musketeers]], who are presented as lecherous thugs whose courage doesn't match their boastfulness [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and who don’t pay their theatre tickets]]. Something of this can also possibly be seen toward the famous playwright [[{{Moliere}} Molière]] (in part because, as mentioned in the play, his play ''Scapin'' was plagiarized from Cyrano). Roxane is one of the ''Précieuses'' ridiculed by [[{{Moliere}} Molière]] but is a fairly level-headed, sympathetic character. Ragueneau kind of fits the model of [[{{Moliere}} Molière's]] cuckolded characters and idolizes [[{{Moliere}} Molière]], but when he finally gets a job with him, realizes his idol is an example of NiceCharacterMeanActor. Fictional Cyrano acuses Sercy, ([[HistoricalDomainCharacter the historical editor of the historical Cyrano’s books]]) of practicing VanityPublishing, [[DontExplainTheJoke implying that the historical Cyrano indulged in this practice]].

* VolleyingInsults: Viscount de Valvert and Cyrano engage in this in Act I Scene IV.

** Christian gets written off by many who [[DidNotDoTheResearch haven't read the play]] as a male bimbo. While he's not as book smart as Cyrano or Roxane and is utterly hopeless at talking to women, he's witty enough to think of several nose-related puns on the fly when he first meets Cyrano.

This 1897 play by Edmond Rostand is famous enough that its plot has [[PlayingCyrano become a trope in its own right]].!

This 1897 play by Edmond Rostand is famous enough that its plot has [[PlayingCyrano become a trope in its own right]].

There are two notable film adaptations: one from 1950 which garnered a Best Actor for José Ferrer, and a 1990 version directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau. In addition, the 1987 movie ''{{Roxanne}}'', starring Steve Martin, is a modernized take on the story. The Disney Channel original movie ''Let it Shine'' is also clearly based off of this play, even going as far as to giving the main characters similar names (Cyrano=Cyrus;Christian=Chris;Roxanne=Roxy, whose full name is actually Roxanne).

* TheAce: Christian and Cyrano decide to create a perfect "hero of romance" that includes the best of them both because Christian and Cyrano believe that '''it's''' the only one who has a chance to be paired with Roxane.

* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Cyrano, Christian and De Guiche love Roxane; not one of them will get her. Roxane won’t get any guy too, because she's been LovingAShadow. Even Raguenau is abandoned [[YourCheatingHeart by his wife, Lise]]. Nobody gets anyone.

There are two notable film adaptations: one from 1950 which garnered a Best Actor for José Ferrer, and a 1990 version directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau. In addition, the 1987 movie ''{{Roxanne}}'', starring Steve Martin, is a modernized take on the story.

** After Cyrano fights a duel while improvising a poem early in the play, [[TheThreeMusketeers d'Artagnan]] (also a Gascon) [[LawyerFriendlyCameo shows up briefly]] to tell him how cool it was. In real life they were contemporaries -- it would be surprising if Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655) and d'Artagnan (1615-1673) had not run into each other quite a bit.

** Cyrano and his troops are enemies of [[TheThreeMusketeers musketeers]], who are presented as lecherous thugs whose courage doesn't match their boastfulness [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and who don’t pay their theatre tickets]]. Something of this can also possibly be seen toward the famous playwright [[{{Moliere}} Molière]] (in part because, as mentioned in the play, his play ''Scapin'' was plagiarized from Cyrano). Roxane is one of the ''Précieuses'' ridiculed by [[{{Moliere}} Molière]] but is a fairly level-headed, sympathetic character. Ragueneau kind of fits the model of [[{{Moliere}} Molière's]] cuckolded characters and idolizes [[{{Moliere}} Molière]], but when he finally gets a job with him, realizes his idol is an example of NiceCharacterMeanActor. Fictional Cyrano acuses Sercy, ([[HistoricalDomainCharacter the historical editor of the historical Cyrano’s books]]) of practicing VanityPublishing, [[DontExplainTheJoke implying that the historical Cyrano indulged in this practice]].