Aaron Cicero

Dram 1310
Professor Taylor
Critique: Tartuffe
Raphael Perry presents us with his take on Molieres Tartuffe at the Samuel-Grand
Amphitheater. Costume, set, and performance come together to form an enjoyable theatre
experience suitable for both young and old. The actors do well in creating a world in which
theatre goers can immerse themselves. Costumes in this performance speak to the complexity of
the characters, as does the manner in which the characters work towards their various ends.
The play opens with Orgons family up in arms about Orgons house guest Tartuffe.
They all see through his hypocrisy and wish to expose him as a fraud. Madame Pernelle,
Orgons mother, will not hear any of it, singing his praises for his piety and religious zeal. Orgon
returns from his trip eager to hear the house news. Damis, Orgons son, is concerned whether he
will allow his sisters union with Valere in order to solidify his own union. Orgon has another
union in mind for his daughter, the hand of Tartuffe. Damis hides, hoping to expose him, and
over hears Tartuffe profesin his love for Elmire, Orgons wife. He gives this information to his
father but instead of finding a listening hear, he is disinherited and Tartuffe is made Orgons only
heir. Elmire hears of this and concocts a plan to expose Tartuffe for his deceptions. Orgon hides
under the table while Tartuffe makes advances on Elmire, and it is then only that Orgon sees
Tartuffe for his treachery. Orgon orders Tartuffe from the house, but this comes with a price as
Tartuffe is now the legal owner of the house, and the holder of some documents that may land
Orgon in prison. Madame Pernelle still defends Tartuffe up until he returns to evict the
household. Just as the walls begin to close in, the prince shows up letting everyone know that the
king has seen through this charade and Orgons possessions are restored.
The set design and costumes evoked an air of prohibition era sophistication. The play
takes place entirely in the home Orgon. His home is decorated with white and turquoise print
wall paper, with the base boards and door jams and door painted royal purple. There was a large
rug, which covered most of the stage, as well as a table and chairs that matched this motif. The
costumes were a cross between 1920s glam and Victorian formal. The womens costumes
imitated a corset but the dresses were bright colors, puffy, and fell to the knee. The mens were
all in suits with a floral pattern going down the front of the jacket, with the exception of Tartuffe
and Damis. Damis wore black leather, symbolic of a rebellious youth, and Tartuffe wore a
monks robe. Two instances where the costumes signaled a shift in character are when Tartuffe
returns to stake a claim on Orgons house, he is no longer wearing the robe, he is now wearing a
suit like the other men of the house, but more extravagant and with platform wing-tipped shoes.
This is a signal that he has shed his religious faade, and is showing his true deceitful colors. The
other is when the officer of the King takes off his cloak to reveal that he is actually the prince.
His dress is in the same manner as the other men, only his suit is golden with a bright red floral
pattern on the jacket and the pants and with sparkling gold shoes to complete the look.
The scene in which Tartuffe is being baited by Elmire gives an example of the acting
prowess of this cast. At first, Tartuffe is weary of Elmire as she has rejected his advances once
before, he is however lured into her web. As the scene progresses, Tartuffe becomes more and
more forward in his advances towards Elmire. She grows worried that her husband will not
appear from under the table to come to her rescue. As this scene comes to a crescendo, Tartuffes
passions get the best of him and he disrobes, exposing a pair of risqu undergarments.
After Orgon expresses his wishes that Tartuffe take his daughter Mariane as his wife,
Valere pays her a visit. The two banter just as is typical of young lovers. The exchange is coy,
petty, and above all cute. Through the mechanism of the play, these two actors capture the
essence of a young love affair. The affection that the characters have for one another is apparent.
The performance is well executed. The poetry of the lines is constant throughout, and the
actors maintain the world of the play very well. One would do well to add this performance to
their collection of experiences as it is an enjoyable endeavor. From this play, one can glean that
it is entirely unseemly to parley in the realm of deception. In the end, comeuppance is waiting for
us all, no matter how clever a rouse we can devise.