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News Stories
Tartuffe, a Classic Comedy, Hits the Stage
The
College Theater Ensemble will perform a modernized version of Tartuffe,
a masterpiece of Western literature, on November 10-13 in the campus Meagher Theatre.
Written
by Moliere, Tartuffe delivers a savage and extraordinarily funny attack
on religious hypocrisy, greed and intolerance that remains as relevant today as
when it was first performed in 1669. The comic play features a creepy spiritual
charlatan, a gullible fool, a clever servant, and a side-splitting seduction scene. Tartuffe serves up a delicious mix of high and low comedy, and skewers
those who are foolish enough to be taken in by hypocrites.
In Tartuffe,
Orgon, a wealthy family man, takes in a stranger by the name of Tartuffe to stay
in his home. Tartuffe appears to be an extremely pious and devout man of religion,
and Orgon regards him almost as a saint. All of Orgon's friends and family see
Tartuffe as a con man who only pretends to be of the highest moral authority but
who does not practice what he preaches. The character of Tartuffe represents those
who preach religious piety but do not themselves live by the morals they try to
force upon others. Because the play focuses on the issue of religious hypocrisy,
it was highly controversial at the time it was written and was banned from public
performance for five years.
The Theater Ensemble's modernized production
uses the contemporary verse translation by poet Richard Wilbur, whose work is
widely considered the best English translation of Moliere ever written.
Performances
are scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, November 10-12, at 8 p.m. and for
Sunday, November 13, at 2 p.m. General admission is $10. The cost for seniors
and students of any age is $5.
The Theater Ensemble is the resident performing
company at Neumann College, comprised of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and
community members under the artistic direction of Terence Gleeson. The group has
been producing plays continuously since 1984.
For more information about Tartuffe or to reserve tickets, call 610-361-5455.
10/27/05
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