Review: TARTUFFE at Dunstan Playhouse

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Tuesday 8th November 2016

State Theatre Company and Brink Productions have combined forces to present the 1664 farce, Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite, by Jean Baptiste Poquelin, better known as Molière, in a new modernised adaptation by Phillip Kavanagh, directed by Brink's Chris Drummond. It would, perhaps, be more accurately described as being loosely based on an idea by Molière as there is precious little of Molière's biting wit, rhyming couplets, and focussed social commentary left in this script. It has been replaced by a great deal of schoolboy humour, with sexual innuendo bordering on blatancy, and excessive use of expletives.

Orgon is rich, but foolish, and has become captivated by Tartuffe, who he thinks is pious and should be emulated. His mother, Madame Pernelle, agrees with Orgon. His family, though, knows that Tartuffe is a con man, out for whatever he can get out of Orgon. He offers his daughter, Mariane, in marriage to make Tartuffe a part of the family, and signs over everything he owns into Tartuffe's name, to spite his family for their mistrust of Tartuffe. It is only when his wife, Elmire, convinces him to hide, and he witnesses Tartuffe trying to have his way with her, that he finally comes to his senses. There is still more trouble to come before all is resolved.

The performance is long, very long and at two hours forty-five minutes it could use some work with a blue pencil. There are two superfluous additions. The pretentious final speech could go, for a start, and the long introduction adds nothing much to the story. In attempting to keep the play in the 17th Century with modern dialogue, adding current references, it has become a confused mishmash, still generating laughter at odd comments, bits of business, but not so much at Molière's play.

The big saving grace of this production is the cast, led by some of Adelaide's favourite and most talented actors. Orgon couldn't be anybody else but the multi-skilled Paul Blackwell, a State Theatre regular with a long string of successes to his credit, from farce to drama and all points between. His sterling work in this role is no exception.

Nathan O'Keefe is reminiscent of Grigori Rasputin in his portrayal of Tartuffe, with long black hair and dressed in all black garb, seducing the minds of Orgon and his mother and turning them against the rest of the family. He gives us a darker than usual reading of the character, giving a greater depth to the character.

Astrid Pill is very much the strong and smart woman as Orgon's wife, Elmire, well-balanced against O'Keefe's Tartuffe, convincingly leading him on to his own doom as she reveals his lechery to Orgon.

Jacqy Phillips pulls out her stock character of a harsh-voiced, very 'ocker' maidservant as Dorine, nosey and interfering, and getting her share of laughs.

Rory Walker plays Orgon's bother-in-law, Cléante, the voice of reason but with a habit of irritating Orgon through his superior tone as he tries to make him see sense.

Rachel Burke is charming as the naïve daughter of the house, Mariane, engaged to the equally naïve Valere, sympathetically played by Antoine Jelk.

Guy O'Grady gets his share of laughs as Orgon's rather dim son, Damis, and the composer, Alan John, who provides background music from the Hammond organ, is fun in drag as Madame Pernelle.

Michael Hankin's set is a large tiled area with five huge chandeliers, keeping the stage clear for the large cast, with Nigel Levings lighting delineating the changes with time.

So, this is a mixed bag, a brave attempt at adding new to old, that doesn't really come off, saved by the performances. Some found more to laugh at than I did, but others obviously did not, judging by some far from complimentary comments overheard in the foyer following the performance.

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