Why do we laugh at what they say?: Reflections on the presence of Moliere's comedy on Brazilian stages

Among the many facets of the reception of French literature in Brazil is the constant presence of the French scene on Brazilian stages. Moliere, distant from us in time and space, is usually staged by Brazilian companies, with wide reach of public. With this in mind, this paper intended to address the presence of two pieces by Moliere, Tartufo (1664) and The Imaginary Sick (1673), trying to understand how and why they cause laughter in a different context from the one in which they were produced. Therefore, in addition to some studies on the subject, an initial survey of assemblies of the pieces was made in the last ten years, as well as testimonials of actors and directors involved, as well as reports on the dissemination of the shows in order to think about the reception of such pieces. literary works and the effects of humor. The results indicate that the public interest in such works is due to the timeless character of Moliere's theater.