Diego
Matamoros, Oliver Dennis & Raquel Duffy. Photo Cylla von Tiedemann
Soulpepper’s
Tartuffe is a finely acted production with several directorial gimmicks
that seem to lead nowhere.
Moliere’s
play about the ultimate hypocrite takes place in Orgon’s house in Paris. In the
current production, directed by László Marton, the play opens backstage and we
see a couple of clothes racks. The cast rushes onstage, puts on 17th
century (I assume) costumes, takes them off and the performance begins with the
actors wearing modern clothes.
The
clothes racks will disappear, a few painted panels will appear and the
backstage will become an ordinary stage, say the type you would expect in an
amateur theatre. There are a few covered pieces of furniture and it looks like
a Little Theatre rehearsal with due care for the props. I am sure that Marton
and Set Designer Lorenzo Savoini have something in mind in using this approach
but I have no idea what it was.
If you
ignore those gimmicks and listen to Richard Wilbur’s marvelous rhyming couplets
you will enjoy the show.
Tartuffe is
a man of God, a humbug and a conman sans
pareille. Diego Matamoros in the role looks pious, lovable, almost cuddly
on the surface and is quite a monster underneath. One can see why a gullible
man like Orgon is duped by him. Oliver Dennis is perfect for the role. This
Orgon is decent, generous, well-meaning and, unfortunately, pretty stupid.
Orgon’s
wife Elmire is quite a different creature. She is smart, cunning, strong and
very beautiful. Raquel Duffy is so sexually appealing in the role that even a
less despicable person than Tartuffe would compromise his morals for her.
Gregory
Prest, Colin Palangio, Oliver Dennis, Raquel Duffy, Katherine Gauthier, Oyin
Oladejo & Gordon Hecht. Photo Cylla von Tiedemann
Katherine
Gauthier and Gordon Hecht are the young lovers, Mariane and Valère, and they
make an attractive pair. Gregory Prest does a fine job as Orgon’s
brother-in-law Cléante as does Brenda Robins as Mme Parnelle, Orgon’s elderly
mother.
The
success of any production of Tartuffe depends
to a significant extent on the delivery of rhyming couplets. The cast did an
excellent job. They spoke clearly without falling into monotony and there was
sufficient modulation for a thorough enjoyment of the text. William Webster as
the bailiff does superb work in this regard.
Tartuffe’s
attempted seduction of Elmire while Orgon is hiding under a table was done
brilliantly. Tartuffe drinks and sprays Elmire with wine; Orgon rolls out from
under the table when Tartuffe looks under it; Elmire takes off and throws her
panties under the table to get her idiot husband’s attention; she drives the
suspicious Tartuffe bonkers with her sexual magnetism; Tartuffe pulls his pants
down and at that moment Orgon comes out from under the table. Full marks to
Marton for doing an outstanding job on this scene.
The disaster
for the Orgon family is staved off by the appearance of a rex ex machina. In this case, it is a representative of Louis XIV
who arrests Tartuffe and returns to Orgon the property that the conman had
appropriated. A red carpet is rolled out and a miniature gold carriage is
magically wheeled on stage. A letter from the King is on top of it and it will
bring a happy end to the play. Cute.
We could have done without the clothes racks and such gimmicks. Take
whatever period or style you want and stick to it. A fine cast and Moliere will
do not need tricks.
_________
Tartuffe by Moliere in the
verse translation by Richard Wilbur opened on August 12 and will run in repertory until September 20, 2014 at the Young Centre for the Performing
Arts, 55 Tank House Lane, Toronto, Ontario. www.soulpepper.ca 416 866-8666
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