The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest by Tirso de MolinaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a very entertaining play, more than I expected. I'd like to see it performed sometime.
It is, apparently, the first written version of the Don Juan story. It tells how that gentleman tricked and seduced several women and killed at least one man, and unlike some versions or similar Casanova stories, he has no redeeming qualities. In fact, here he is mostly tricky rather than charming. That is, he doesn't win the various women over with sweet language and good looks (though he handsome), but either tricks them by sneaking in at night pretending to be someone else or by convincing them that he is going to marry them. Then he laughs with his servant at how foolish they are and how sad they will be.
His uncle and his father work to protect him, and because of his rank he is not condemned to death, though he otherwise would have been. When the women he harmed and some their male relatives all gather to demand the king give them satisfaction, it looks like he may be in real trouble. However, before they get satisfaction, Don Juan has an appointment with the ghost of a man he killed, and the spirit takes revenge on him.
It ends up being pretty dark, with serious themes, cruel behavior, and the death of Don Juan (and his obvious damnation!) but the story is dramatic and engaging and has light moments. Don Juan's servant, Catalinon, constantly warns his master that he is risking too much, and in the scenes with the ghost does a pretty good impersonation of Shaggy from Scooby Doo. He needn't have worried; the ghost was only concerned with Don Juan.
I can imagine it being staged in a strictly serious way, but If it were staged with a sense of humor, I think it'd be very fun. I could hope for a happier Christmas Carol kind of ending, with a reformed Don Juan repenting of all he did, but even without that I still think it works for a modern audience. It's a good read, anyway.
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