Molière’s “Tartuffe,” directed by Daniel Gately, will be presented at dusk tonight through Sunday. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. at the University Amphitheater. Low back chairs, blankets and picnics are welcome, but please no alcohol or glass.
Gately guest-directs what he calls a cautionary tale — “Don’t be taken in by sleight of hand, misdirection and promises that cannot be kept,” he said. It is a literary classic that resonates today just as it did in 1667, when its portrayal of a pious fraud got it promptly banned. “It’s had a nice 350-year run since then,” Gately noted.
The richly costumed period production follows a family fractured by the wiles of the charismatic Tartuffe. The patriarch Orgon trusts him implicitly, but his wife Elmire sees through the con artist as he schemes to take Orgon’s lands and wed his daughter.
“It speaks to universal themes of power, corruption and deception that have existed in every society. At its heart it’s a simple story,” said Department of Theatre Chair Eric Broadwater.
“It’s important for our theatre majors experience different genres. This is a major piece of historical theatre,” Broadwater said. The comedy classic, written in iambic pentameter, falls “easier on the ear” than Shakespeare, he added.
“It has a rhythm that flows very much like music, but it takes on its own heartbeat,” said Lexi Silva, a senior double majoring in theatre and English who plays Elmire. “You have to make acting choices within the container of that time period.”
Elmire’s husband, Orgon, is played by theatre major Samuel McCart, a junior. “I feel it’s actually easier to memorize. The dialogue in general is so easy to play around with,” McCart said.
Calling the verses “a wonderful challenge,” Travis Blansit said it was his first period play. “It’s the first time I’ve worked within a very stylized performance, where you have to stand and take poses.” The senior theatre major poses more than most in the starring role as Tartuffe.
“Tartuffe” is the University’s seventh collaboration with Gately, a veteran of Boston, New York and Chicago theatre. A guest director brings a different perspective, and a fresh voice that students have not heard in their lectures.
“He runs it so professionally. It does give us a feel for what it’s like to work in the professional world outside of academic theatre,” Silva said. “It’s a great experience.”
Gately said he enjoys the opportunity to bring the world of professional theatre to his work with students. “These are phenomenally committed artists, production crew and production staff. The faculty have been incredibly welcoming, and I have learned so much from them,” he said. “Here, people support one another. They go above and beyond. It inspires me. It rekindles my love for theatre and directing.”
The cast of young actors is gifted, Gately said. “This is a fun play to experience. The audience will laugh — they will laugh a lot. These actors are creating a wonderful world, a world worth watching, a world worth being a part of for a couple of hours on a beautiful night.”