ON MARCH 7 we welcome The Misanthrope to Ilkley Playhouse. The play centres around Alceste, a successful publisher of cookery books – she’s seen it all, heard it all, and baked the cake.

While she lives in the world of celebrity chefs, Alceste can’t stand hypocrisy or the meaningless praise of the media set. She prefers honesty to fawning, even when that honesty is wounding. There follows twists and turns littered with rivalry and affection.

If the title sounds familiar you may recall that it is play by French playwright Molière, which occasionally makes its way onto school curriculums. Yes, it’s in verse. And yes, it’s 350 years old. It’s also fresh, relevant, contemporary and very funny.

What could possibly make a satire of seventeenth-century French aristocracy relevant today?

First, it’s universal: human nature and its many flaws are a key target, and these seem to have changed minimally since the 1660s. There are still social conventions, there are still people who flout them, and there’s still love, lust and betrayal.

Second, it’s adaptable. A version set in modern London was a hit at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2008, and Uma Thurman, Damian Lewis and Keira Knightley have all starred in relatively recent versions. Ilkley Playhouse is presenting a contemporary version, translation by Tony Harrison, set in the world of celebrity chefs and the London media set.

As a comedy of manners, The Misanthrope is witty and thought-provoking, with a good dollop of satire. The manners and affectations of contemporary society are exposed, with plenty of humour, and plenty of space for the audience to think and reflect on parallels with their own world.

There’s also plenty to be learned from Molière’s observation that the best time to learn is when you’re laughing along.

The script is in rhyme, but unobtrusively so: the flow simply carries you briskly along.

There will be plenty of food for thought at the interval and on the way home so come along with your book club, class, neighbour and family. There will be an after-show Q&A session with the cast and director on Tuesday, March 13. Meanwhile our all-female cast chimes perfectly with International women’s day on March 8.

Stand-up comedy fans just have time to get tickets for our Stagefright Comedy Club, on Saturday, March 3. Tickets are £14, and the bar’s open all evening.

The Misanthrope: Wednesday, March 7 to Saturday, March 17.To book please call 01943 609 539 or go to www.ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk