The Village Players Present.
Tartuffe (Trevor Birrell) and Elmire (Carly Tisdall) are onstage now at The Village Playhouse, 2190E Bloor St. W. in the classic satirical comedy ‘Tartuffe’ by Moliere, with prose translation by David Nicholson.
Courtesy/Robert Rayfield
While the world is constantly evolving, what doesn't evolve quite so quickly is human nature.
And whether a play is written in modern day or hundreds of years ago, when it showcases the follies of human nature, it's still as entertaining and relevant today as it was when it was written.
This is the case in the Village Players' season opener, the classic satirical comedy 'Tartuffe' by Moliere, with prose translation by David Nicholson.
Originally written in the 1660s, it has been interpreted and translated in hundreds of ways, but the comedy, the themes of greed, hypocrisy and trickery and the over-the top characters, remain the draw of this show.
People are good and bad, loyal and frivolous, honest and dishonest, and whatever they are or aren't, there will always be people who love them.
In this production, one man Tartuffe (Trevor Birrell), weasels his way into the heart and home of the wealthy Orgon (David J Phillips), who thinks the sun and the moon rise in his honour.
Tartuffe is clearly a con man, but Orgon's love for him is beyond rational and even his family, his wife, Elmire (Carly Tisdall), and his children Damine (Scott Yamamura) and Mariane (Margaret Brock), can see that he's being manipulated but cannot convince him of it.
This house is always full of both activity and people. Orgon's mother Mme. Pernelle (Janice Tate) and brother, Cleante (Jonathan Thomas), are often there, and their outspoken and fiery maid, Dorine (CeAnne Walsh), who is the truth-teller and responsible for many laughs in this show, is always causing ruckus with her "truth" outbursts.
Meanwhile, Tartuffe saunters in and out as he pleases, wearing his halo, posing as a man of God, and disguising his horns with his Jimmy Swaggart-esque speeches about humility and serving the Lord.
The way he has Orgon wrapped around his little finger is so unbelievable it becomes hysterical, but the unforeseen consequences, and what Orgon stands to lose, soon become dire. So the family comes up with a scheme to smoke out Tartuffe, and reveal the scoundrel he is.
The second act is more fast-paced and funnier than the first, and there is rarely a dull moment. Since we all know the truth at this point (except Orgon and his mother), this act is all about watching the family execute the plan and the hilarious madness that ensues as a result.
The characters are individually impressive in their performances and also as an ensemble cast. There are some scenes that definitely stand out from the rest. Tisdall as Elmire in a seduction scene with Tartuffe is one of them. Her performance is powerful and comedic, and she commands her presence in such a way where you could hear a pin drop in the theatre.
Phillips as the desperately deceived Orgon was equally powerful in his performance. He makes us laugh while we pity him and he eats humble pie really well. Birrell as Tartuffe does not disappoint. He is cunning, sly, sarcastic and so funny, he succeeds in making you both despise and admire him at the same time.
Don't let the period in which the play was originally written scare you from seeing this show. It is staged in modern day and the cast wears modern clothes. It proves when a theatre company interprets this show well, the time period isn't relevant in this timeless and humour-filled tale of hypocrisy and greed.
Tartuffe runs until Oct. 8, 8 p.m., at The Village Playhouse, 2190E Bloor St. W. Regular tickets are $20. To purchase tickets, please call 416-767-7702 or visit www.villageplayers.net