"Tartuffe: Born Again" superbly satirizes religious charlatans
Tartuffe: Born Again (Raleigh Little Theatre, Sept. 20-Oct. 6) is a hilarious modern-English verse translation of 17th-century French dramatist Molière's sublime satire of religious hypocrisy. Translator/adapter Freyda Thomas' imaginative adaptation of Tartuffe keeps the dialogue in verse--in rhymed couplets--and she skillfully transposes the story to the present age and makes Tartuffe a deposed born-again televangelist a la Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggart.
Consumed by greed--and lust--and burdened with an ill-fitting hairpiece that makes him look like some kind of oily small animal has curled up and died on his bald spot, the wily Tartuffe (Fred Corlett) shamelessly manipulates the sanctimonious Orgon (Phil Crone) and his self-righteous mother, Mrs. Pernell (Helen Crisp), owners and operators of a Baton Rouge, La. television studio. While plotting his comeback to the national air waves, Tartuffe blatantly propositions Orgon's pretty young second wife Elmire (Morissa Nagel), much to her consternation. Meanwhile, Orgon's brother Cleante (David Britt) is keeping a suspicious eye on Tartuffe.
Fred Corlett is a hoot as the religious charlatan Tartuffe, Phil Crone gives a highly amusing performance as the hopelessly obtuse Orgon, Morissa Nagel is a scream as the indignant Elmire, and David Britt is a delight as the sharp-tongued Cleante.
But Amy Flynn steals with show with her monkeyshines as Orgon's big-haired and blunt-spoken floor manager Dorine. Helen Crisp contributes a nice cameo as the ultra-religious Mrs. Pernell. Ann Cole, Scott Franco, and Aaron Dunlap are good as Orgon's lovely daughter Mary Ann, her impetuous boyfriend Valere, and Orgon's volatile son Damis, respectively. And Mark Aman and Barbette Hunter acquit themselves very well, indeed, as Agent Loyal and Ms. De Salle.
Guest director Martin Thompson stages the show superbly, with his usual style and wit and taste, on a detailed multilevel TV studio set designed by Rick Young. Costume designer Sue Brace's colorful outfits for this motley crew and lighting designer Andy Parks' artful illumination of the madcap proceedings also add to the show's visual appeal. Clergymen with feet of clay have been popular fodder for the satirical grist mills of dramatists for centuries. Tartuffe: Born Again by Freyda Thomas is a lively update of a controversial comic masterpiece by Molière (1622-73). Such inspired lunacy as the current RLT presentation produces deserves to play to packed houses.
WHAT: The TRIANGLE THEATER REVIEW is a FREE weekly e-mail theatrical newsletter, featuring previews and reviews by Robert W. McDowell and reviews by Alan R. Hall and others. (For brief bios of our critics, see the CVNC biographies page.) Classical Voice of North Carolina, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and this state's leading performing-arts platform, not only pays our reviewers but also makes continued publication of TTR possible. The online versions of our critics' theater reviews are now listed on the CVNC Reviews page. CVNC also publishes a comprehensive list of Triangle Theatre Openings.
DONATIONS: If you value the comprehensive, in-depth local theater coverage that TTR and CVNC provide, please mail a check today to Classical Voice of North Carolina, 3305 Ruffin Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-4025; or use your credit card to donate online. Because CVNC is a 501(c)(3) organization, all financial contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Be sure to indicate that you want to support continued online publication of the TRIANGLE THEATER REVIEW. You may also donate to CVNC through the Triangle Community Foundation, based in Research Triangle Park. You can find current information about CVNC at Philanthropy Central, an online service operated by the Triangle Community Foundation.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: E-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type SUBSCRIBE TTR in the Subject: line. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: E-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type UNSUBSCRIBE TTR in the Subject: line.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? E-mail RobertM748@aol.com.
COPYRIGHT: Editorial content and all formats © 2017 CVNC and the respective authors. Reproduction in any form without authorization of Classical Voice of North Carolina and the respective authors is prohibited. CVNC will maintain an archive of standard previews and reviews from past issues for at least a year. To request copies of web articles from 2005 and earlier, e-mail cvnc1@earthlink.net.
You are here: Home
> Reviews and articles about the theatre's productions
> Tartuffe review (Robert McDowell)