Sinner or saint, the character of Tartuffe certainly divides opinion.
To Orgon, the master of the manor, he is the epitome of piousness, yet to his family, he is nothing more than a vagabond taking advantage of people’s good nature.
With his reputation tainted and restored at every turn in the opening scene, the audience is eager to pass their own judgement on Tartuffe but his stalled introduction to the stage acts as a clever device to build the mystery.
Orgon’s mind is possessed by Tartuffe and he intends his daughter Mariane to marry him (though she’s already promised to wed Valère), and he even signs over the deeds of his estate to the former beggar.
The cheeky glint in Tartuffe’s eyes when he makes his grand entrance further enforces his view of ‘a secret sin is no sin at all’ as he commits the ultimate betrayal by confessing his love to Orgon’s wife Elmire.
When the family try to expose his scheming nature, the play comes over a little ‘carry on’ as they hide behind curtains and under tables to catch him out.
But once his deceit is unveiled to Orgon, it’s too late as the family’s ordered out of the estate which now belongs to Tartuffe.
At each stage, Dorine the maid oversteps the boundaries of her role but gains the trust of the audience as she gives each member of the family honest advice with a touch of flirtatious charm. Played by Katherine Rodden, she was the unexpected the star of the show.
Jeremy Gagan convincingly plays Tartuffe and his command of expression in scenes of deceit against those highlighting his virtue are performed with charisma.
A modern adaptation by Paradigm Theatre Company of the 17th Century theatrical comedy by Molière, Tartuffe was presented in the intimate surroundings of the Canal Café Theatre in Little Venice.
The audience seating area is cleverly used as an extension of the stage, with the characters often mingling among the crowd and eavesdropping on the conversations taking place just overhead.
With a comedic value in the form of Dorine, the betrayal of a committed friend and with a heart-warming twist at the end, Tartuffe (artistically directed by Sarah Pitard and directed by Cat Robey) ticks all the boxes. And by no means a criticism, the cast should possess a little more confidence to balance their abilities.
Tartuffe runs till Sat 27 Apr 2013, with tickets for the 7pm show Tue-Sat costing £12 and for the 3pm Sat performance, it’s £10. To book tickets, visit www.canalcafetheatre.com and for more information, visit www.paradigmtheatrecompany.co.
Photo credit: Jon Bradshaw