Review: TARTUFFE: BORN AGAIN at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum

Tartuffe: Born Again is an imaginative, hilarious, delightful adaptation of the classic Molière play running at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga through October 13th. Tartuffe: Born Again is an absolute gem, a show-stopping delight, and you do not want to miss it.

As I mentioned in my review of the wonderful The Winter’s Tale, there is a kind of ineffable magic in the air at the historic Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum.  You feel it the moment you arrive and it grows the closer you get to twilight.  Something about being in the midst of hundreds of acres of canyon wilderness, the smell of mountain sage and wildflowers and salty sea mist drifting in from Malibu.  This is a haute hippie dreamworld of cabins, rambling gardens, and rustic stages.  Bats and moths swoop in under the twinkling string lights during the performance. A chorus of frogs and crickets can be heard off stage.

Like that glorious vaudeville palace, The Hollywood Pantages Theatre, Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is a legendary destination in its own right.   I cannot think of a more fitting and wondrous place to spend a balmy summer night under the stars, soaking up the gorgeous beauty of classic theatre.

And you could not choose a better play than Tartuffe: Born Again, a superb, fresh, hilarious adaptation of a great classic.  Tartuffe by Molière is one of the most incisive, rebellious, and dangerous satires in world literature.  First performed in 1664 at the Palace of Versailles, Tartuffe immediately stirred up controversy and faced censorship from the archbishop of Paris, other church officials, politicians, and aristocrats.  The archbishop finally threatened to excommunicate anyone who watched, performed in, or read Tartuffe.  Luckily for playwright Molière, he had a great ally in King Louis XIV, The Sun King and longest-ruling monarch of France, who championed Molière and his work.  But Molière never again risked writing something so provocative.  Since that time, Tartuffe has become the most performed play of the Comédie-Française and a true classic of the world stage.

It is a feat of cheeky genius to adapt Tartuffe to the modern age by changing the setting from aristocratic 17th century France to 1980s Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a tight-knit Southern family and their evangelical TV station.  Everything works sublimely in this translation and adaption by Freyda Thomas: the lavish gilt and big hair, the drama, passions, piety, and wild, unhinged humor.  Imagine a mix of classic theatre, 80s synths, sleazy televangelists, roller bladers crash-landing around the stage in glow-in-the-dark Spandex, backup singers in headbands, star-crossed lovers, churchy organ strains, perms and chicken-fried accents, and you are getting close to the greatness on display here.  I have to say, modern spins on classic plays do not get any better than this.  I love the zany, wild child spirit of this production, with brilliant, visionary direction by Melora Marshall.

Because Tartuffe: Born Again has so many high-spirited, prankish and delicious surprises in store, I do not want to spoil too much of the plot and shenanigans.  In barest outline, this is the story of a smooth-talking, judgmental, faux-religious sleazebag who manages to hoodwink his way into a man’s family and fortunes. 

Performances here are fearless, gutsy, hilarious, full-bodied, and delightful, and this entire ensemble is a treasure trove of star comedy performers.  I particularly loved Lynn Robert Berg, Jon Sprik, Jonathan Blandino, and Ethan Haslam.  The trio of backup singers played by Shoshanna Green, Timothy Willard, and Rebecca Oca-Nussbaum need their own Netflix series, they are wildly comic and entertaining.  David DeSantos is perfection as slimy, honey-smooth huckster Tartuffe and Michelle Jasso is sexy and hilarious as the object of his affections (and his benefactor’s wife), evoking comedic bombshells like Sofía Vergara.  Tanya Alexander is so mesmerizing as a studio employee that I think she could narrate an empty stage and make it a smash hit.  What a stupendous talent.

The excess, glam, and craziness of the 1980s is captured with utterly glorious sound design and composition by Marshall McDaniel and Kellen McDaniel, and truly inspired, delectable costumes by Vicki Conrad.

If it is your first time at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, know that you can rent a cushion from the theatre, or bring some from home for the tiered, amphitheater style bench seating.  For matinees, you might want to bring sunglasses, hats, and sun protection.  For evening performances, I recommend ponchos, cozy blankets, or layers of wraps or sweaters, since the theatre is outdoors and even balmy nights in the canyon can feel chilly as the evening deepens.

I love to bundle a trip to the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum with a hike in the nearby mountains or a stop by the idyllic Inn of the Seventh Ray, another very magical local Topanga  haunt.

Show up early, if you can, to soak up the enchanting atmosphere of Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum.  There are tables and chairs under the trees and string lights by the creek bed where you can enjoy a picnic before the show.  The garden is lively with families and friends enjoying feasts they have packed from home.  Other couples and solo theatre lovers enjoy some wine and organic chocolate from Theatricum Botanicum’s delicious on-site offerings.  While my family and I enjoyed a leisurely picnic before Tartuffe: Born Again, someone appeared from a nearby table to share some of their summery lemon cake with us.  There is something lovely in the air here, relaxed and celebratory, that is quite infectious.

Tartuffe: Born Again is a delightful, hilarious, fresh, zany classic comedy that makes a peak summer experience at one of the most lovely and magical places in Los Angeles.

Photos by Ian Flanders

Tartuffe: Born Again runs at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum through October 13th. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is located at 1419 North Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Topanga.  Parking is $10 on site at the theatre, or there is free street parking. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 455-3723 or click on the button below:

To post a comment, you must register and login.