Raymonde Chandebise mistakenly receives a package from the Hôtel du Minet-Galant, a not-so-reputable establishment. Because it contains a pair of braces belonging to her husband, Victor-Emmanuel, she imagines he’s cheating on her. With her friend Lucienne Homénidès de Histangua, she concocts a scheme to catch him out. Posing as a secret admirer, she sends a letter to arrange a meeting at the same hotel. But the letter falls into the hands of Lucienne’s husband, who now thinks he’s being cheated on. To make matters worse, the valet at the Hôtel du Minet Galant is the spitting image of Victor-Emmanuel, Raymonde’s husband… the stage is set for mayhem. From one mix-up to another, the vaudeville machinery spirals into absurdity.

Immersed in the swinging sixties, this production of A Flea in Her Ear blends the retro chic of Mad Men, the goofy hilarity of The Pink Panther, and actor direction straight out of a Tex Avery cartoon. The contrast between the quiet of the snowy landscapes visible through the bay window and the hysteria reigning in the apartment is irresistible. Lilo Baur’s production unleashes the full range of burlesque humour, while the team dynamic of the Comédie-Française allows the production’s imaginative flair to truly shine.