Published on: Wednesday, May 13, 2009

By David Cannon, Sentinel Arts Critic

How about this for a setup—a religious holier than thou man who turns out to be more concerned about this world than the next. In fact, using his religious robes to hide behind while he pulls off one con job after another to milk his naïve believers out of house and home. 

Sounds like something ripped from today’s political headlines, but currently at Cedar Lane Stage, meet the original religious hypocrite from three centuries ago. “Tartuffe” may well be Moliere’s best comedy; it is certainly one of his most performed works. As the Cedar Lane production proves, it is a well-constructed play, very funny and still quite relevant.   

As the play opens, Tartuffe has the family patriarch Orgon wrapped around his finger, while most of the other family members see right through his hypocritical antics. While Moliere famously delays Tartuffe’s entrance – the actor does not appear until almost intermission – the character dominates the play because the other characters can talk about nothing else but him. 

This allows Moliere to construct all sorts of farcical scenes. People hide in closets and under tables to eavesdrop. Inheritances are lost and marriage plans are hastily rearranged, even while Tartuffe has designs on Orgon’s wife. Always rely on family members to argue reasonably while the hired help can reply with an acidic tongue. Tartuffe’s plans come so close to fruition that outside help is required to sort everything out. As another comedian named Mel Brooks noted centuries later – it’s good to be the King.   

Jim Lathan is nice and oily as the title character, but it is Louis Pangaro’s Orgon that dominates the show.  Half the fun is watching Pangaro being easily duped and always ready to pick a fight, even as Aly Ettman’s servant has all the great comeback lines. Leah Mazade is good as another family member duped by this con artist. Meanwhile, Alex Diehl’s Damis and Molly Coyle’s Marianne react to events emotionally while Ted Cueller and Malinda Smith attempt the voice of reason.

Director Ed Starr keeps this comedy rolling in increasingly high gear. The technical aspects of the show are minimal but work very well, especially Sandy Eggleston’s period costumes.

By the way, the translation of this French play is by American poet Richard Wilbur. To capture the glittering surface of Moliere’s script, Wilbur uses rhymed couplets throughout. Wilbur is such a good poet, and the actors at Cedar Lane handle it so well, you rarely notice it, but it is there if you listen carefully. 

That “deus ex machina” ending may be the strangest part of the play for modern audiences. On the other hand, Moliere clearly enjoys his comic villain and has him succeed on so many of his plans, outside help is required. Maybe that’s why “Tartuffe” remains such a classic over the centuries. We love to see a villain in all his glory and then laugh and cheer as justice finally prevails.   

“Tartuffe” continues at Cedar Lane Stage through May 30.  For more information, call (301) 949-3685.

3 stars