A Delightful Deception: Kean Theater Conservatory presents Tartuffe Published December 27

By: Veronica Vila

If a Hollywood celebrity comes knocking on your door and asks for lodging, you may not blink before opening the door, bringing them blankets, a cup of tea, and maybe even a hug. The classic Molière comedy Tartuffe follows a similar premise. 

A man with a renowned name (Tartuffe) visits the home of a wealthy family, and its head of house (Orgon) welcomes him as a time-indefinite guest. With constant schemes and manipulation tactics, Tartuffe manages to gain Orgon’s trust, arranged for marriage with Orgon’s daughter Mariane, and own the family’s property.

Tartuffe highlights the hypocrisy, deception, and absurdity of blind faith. Since its first performance in 1664, many have readapted the play for different storytelling mediums, like film. 

On November 15, The Kean Theater Conservatory (KTC) orchestrated an outstanding performance of Tartuffe at the Bauer Boucher Theater Center (BBTC), marking the start of a series of performances that will continue at the same theater until November 23.

BBTC is a small, cozy theater that, despite its limited space, was arranged with rolling walls and doors that allowed actors to come in and out of the stage without disrupting the scene while setting up a traditional 17th-century atmosphere.

The audience was filled with students, parents, and Kean faculty members, who were completely submerged in the actors’ comedic performances.

The energetic acts of Alina Lessing (Dorine), Ken Macalos (Tartuffe), and Eric Taylor (Orgon) were key to the success of their opening production. Their passion and lively performances often included talking with the audience and emphasizing the humor in ironic situations — which ignited continuous bursts of laughter.

The cast’s chemistry was astounding, and with characters different in personality and motive, a wide dynamic range for the play was brought to life.

From the fiery intensity of the lead characters to the subtlety of supporting roles, the interactions between the cast members created a captivating and engaging tension on stage that kept the audience tied to their seats.

J Feliciano-Sanchez Moser’s, Fine Arts Assistant Professor, directorial, well-paced interpretation of Tartuffe was mostly faithful to the widely regarded French playwright, Molière’s version, only incorporating a modern flair to the production by doing crowd work and using modern concepts, particularly when it came to engaging the audience and addressing the unspoken theater etiquette.

One of the most surprising aspects of the play was the costume and make-up designs loyal to the characters’ age and time period. 

Costume designer Karen Lee Hart ensured each actor was dressed for the part from head to toe. Tull-filled dresses, corsets, wigs, musketeer-like hats, and period coats are just a few of the elements Hart incorporated to revive the classic characters.

Not many props were used during the play, but the fresh green grapes at the dinner table, were not an afterthought for the actors that munched on them throughout the play.

In addition, elements including the different sound effects and lighting cues, made the play seemingly more natural and the characters alive. They eat, they laugh, they talk, just like their audience.

The engagement and connection between the actors and the audience started before the play, with Lessing (Dorine) and Samantha Pugliese (Elmire) greeting incoming audience members using period language, commenting on their attire, appearance, and company.

After the pre-show, Lessing seemed to take a role similar to a host throughout the production, constantly guiding the audience to her character, which often served as a comedic relief to the unfolding drama.

Her host-like charisma, beyond the pre-show, was first seen in ACT II, when Dorine and Mariane plead with Orgon to let Mariane marry Valère instead of Tartuffe as part of her father’s financial arrangement with the latter.

Once Orgon dismissed Dorine’s requests and asked her to play her role of maid and keep quiet, Lessing sat on a bench near the audience. 

As the scene continues and Orgon argues with Mariane, Lessing (Dorine) repeatedly turns to the audience to mock Orgon and talk to them. 

Though Orgon never breaks the 4th wall, which is when the actor acknowledges the audience, he notices Dorine’s interjections and constant interruptions. The irony and Dorine’s lively personality resulted in one of the most hilarious scenes of the play.

 The cast knew how to work out the humor even in scenes that had triggering potential.

In ACT IV, when Pugliese (Elmire) tries to show her husband (Orgon) that Tartuffe is an impostor and constantly makes sexual advances on her, Pugliese resourced to the 4th wall break by mouthing “help me” on a few occasions, which made the audience chuckle despite Elmire’s precarious situation.Overall, Tartuffe’s opening night was a success filled with stellar performances, humor, and drama, capturing the true spirit of Molière’s timeless play that theater and literature enthusiasts love.

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