by Richard Lord
Molière (off-stage name, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) is often lauded as “the French Shakespeare”. If so, the Gallic version comes in a distant second to the Bard of Avon. (Although Molière’s dramatic output tops Shakespeare’s slightly.) Active a few decades after Shakespeare’s death, Molière churned out tragedies and comedies, but today is most remembered for the comedies. Molière’s two most acclaimed plays are The Misanthrope and Tartuffe. The latter, penned around 1664, has now been given a sparkling production by Philly’s Lantern Theater.
Tartuffe has a renewed relevance in contemporary America, as its theme is toxic religious hypocrisy and the dire effects it can have on gullible devotees. The title character claims to be almost excruciatingly religious. To his disciples, Tartuffe is so focused on the celestial world and its promises that he has little but disdain for the corrupt material world we all must habit. His hyper-devout pronouncements and pious affectations have attracted a number of fervent followers, primarily wealthy Orgon and the latter’s mother, Madame Pernelle. In fact, Orgon is so devoted to Tartuffe and his “mission” that he strongly favors the imposter over his own young wife (a second wife) and his two adult children. When one of those children becomes witness to the depth of Tartuffe’s treachery and reports this to his father, Orgon’s response is … not very fatherly.
As a satirical comedy of the Classical era, Tartuffe enjoys more potential than realization. When he first takes the stage, all decked out in puritanical black, the titular figure makes a blusterous appearance. We recognize almost immediately that this man is a hypocrite, confirming what other characters in the play have been assuring us in no uncertain terms even before Tartuffe appeared – which is itself something of a dramatic flaw as it detracts from any later revelation of the main character’s duplicity.
But he’s not even a convincing hypocrite. As Molière’s presents this scoundrel, there’s little doubt that his religiosity is a sham. Right from the start, Tartuffe is so transparently a fraud that we wonder how Orgon and his mother could ever have been taken in by him.
There are other flaws in the plot. For one, the trap that finally convinces Orgon that his idol is a fraud is a third-rate trickster’s scheme. Later, Madame Pernelle is forced to accept that Tartuffe only under dubious duress. Finally, the resolution that wraps up the play is too convenient by half. No, more than half. In short, this is nothing like a well-made play.
So why has Tartuffe proven to be such an elastic classic, still often performed today? For one thing, there’s that relevance that seems to get renewed in every generation and in many parts of the world. Religion is undoubtedly one of the best ways to spawn hypocrisy, and Tartuffe shows us this brand of chicanery in a raw form.
But relevance alone can’t bring popularity. For all of its shortcomings, Tartuffe does present us with engaging characters, it has tension born of a few plot knots that seem nearly impossible to undo, and – most importantly – it offers a good many laughs. Plus, the language, largely in rhyming couplets, sparkles. (Lantern has used the version by multiple prize-winning poet Richard Wilbur, who is widely considered the best English-language translator of Molière.)
To really appreciate the play despite is shortcomings, you need to catch a first-rate production of the piece. Fortunately, a first-rate production is just what we get at the St. Stephen’s Theatre, courtesy of Lantern Theater.
For some reason, the production team decided to set the play in the Belle Epoque era, a change reflected in the costume designs of Kelly Myers. (The Belle Epoque was a period of French triumphalism that ran from around 1871 until just before the outbreak of World War I.) This move is not really in the text we see performed, and some of the societal restrictions of the 1600s did not hold during the Belle Epoque. Fortunately, none of this interferes with the performance or our enjoyment of it.
Under Charles McMahon’s sure-handed direction, this Lantern team serves us a Tartuffe that is well worth seeing. The staging is inventive without being ostentatiously so. The acting style here is expressive, even mildly stylized, which actually works nicely with this play. Indeed, we know that Molière himself was strongly influenced by the Italian Commedia dell’Arte, whose performances featured highly stylized acting.
Jered McLenigan is outstanding as Tartuffe, and he pairs well with Frank X as Orgon to give the production a solid center. McLenigan turns in a full throttle performance as the great pretender, suggesting that one reason for Tartuffe’s success is that he simply overwhelms the natural skepticism of many as he bustles his way into their lives. Tartuffe is one of those classic roles that actors drool over, and McLenigan makes the best of his opportunity to shine in the role.
Frank X limns an Orgon who is, by turns, deferential to Tartuffe and scornful to any members of his own household who dare to criticize the poseur. Frank X shows us both sides of Orgon’s personality and does so marvelously in every one of his scenes.
Lee Minora serves well as Dorine, the servant woman who is as shrewd as anyone else in the play. Minora has to hit the various notes of this character carefully to make her credible, and she hits those notes deftly. Dorine can be played as an annoying noodge, but Minora manages to give us a very likeable character.
Campbell O’Hare is excellent as Elmire, Orgon’s second wife. Elmire is a steady anchor to the family, as is O’Hare to this production. Her Elmire gives us hope that in the end, justice might win out in this corner of Paris. It’s a subtle performance to be proud of.
Morgan Charéce Hall is also excellent as Mariane, Orgon’s daughter. Orgon is quite willing to sacrifice his daughter to a strategic marriage, and the times dictated that a daughter must bend to the will of her father, especially a wealthy father with connections to the court. Hall walks the tight path to happiness well, showing Mariane’s strength as it gets tested by the duties of a daughter of that period.
Travoye Joyner is strong as Damis, Orgon’s son who tries his best to save his père from that disastrous devotion to a world-class fraudster. Like Mariane, Damis is forced to go through a rocky emotional journey, and Joyner takes the bumps and jolts of that journey with admirable skill.
Gregory Isaac is quite strong as Cléante, Orgon’s patient brother-in-law. The standard texts designate Cléante as le raisonneur, the voice of reason. Isaac plays the role flawlessly, always trying to be the calming presence, the champion of reason in a world thrown askew by the religious fanaticism that claims its victims with no remorse.
Dave Johnson lends solid support as Valere, the man Mariane really wants to wed. It’s hard to see what Mariane sees in him with that shoulder-length lank-hair wig, but Johnson still manages to make this Valere appealing.
Cathy Simpson does a decent job as Madame Pernelle. Simpson is quite believable as the crotchety doyenne of the family, but despite the rich potential in the part, this is not one of the more engaging performances here.
Kahlil A. Wyatt handles a quartet of smaller roles in an efficient manner. None of his four roles calls for anything more really.
Meghan Jones’ scenic design nicely suggests the tasteful elegance of a Belle Epoque drawing room, while Christopher Colucci’s musical selections paired with his original music puts us in a pleasantly Baroque mood. An appreciative nod goes to Tydell Williams for his lighting design, and Rebecca Smith earns her lauds for keeping the stage traffic flowing smoothly as stage manager.
Tartuffe runs at the St. Stephen’s Theater (923 Ludlow St., Philadelphia) Wednesday thru Sunday until October 8. Weds. and Thurs. evening performances are at 7:00, Fri. and Sat. evening performances at 8:00, while all Sunday performances are at 2:00. Wednesdays and Saturdays see additional afternoon performances, at 2:00. On Friday, October 6, there’s a 2:00 p.m. performance and no evening performance.
The Trivia Trail
One similarity between Molière and Shakespeare is that they both profited greatly from royal patronage. Shortly after James I ascended the English throne, Shakespeare’s theatre company was officially designated the King’s Men. Just over half a century later, Molière’s company was proclaimed Troupe de Roi (Troupe of the King), as Louis XIV was quite fond of Molière personally and quite enjoyed most of his plays. But not everyone in the French ruling class of that time shared the Sun King’s enthusiasm for Molière. (see below)
Soon after the play’s initial performances, the archbishop of Paris at the time, Hardouin de Perefixe de Beaumont, issued an declaration that anyone who performed in, watched, or even read a copy of Tartuffe was subject to excommunication from the Church. Molière himself was also threatened with excommunication, not for the last time.
At the time of Molière’s life and death, the French Catholic Church refused actors the right to a religious funeral and burial in the hallowed grounds of cemeteries. This applied to all actors, not just the most prominent and controversial, such as the author of Tartuffe. However, Molière’s widow made a direct plea to the king to allow a burial fitting to a great personality. Louis XIV allowed it, but stipulated that the burial should take place at night and that Molière be interred in that part of the cemetery reserved for unbaptized infants. In 1817, the playwright’s remains were finally moved to Paris’ famous Pére Lachaise cemetery, where today a huge monument straddles what we can only assume will be his final resting place.
Despite its many problems during the Molière’s lifetime, Tartuffe is the most produced play of the venerable Comedie-Francaise. In fact, for a gala production celebrating Molière’s 400th birthday, the Comedie-Francaise offered a new production of Tartuffe.