Tartuffe
Theatre Royal Haymarket
3.7/5 based on 3 reviews (read reviews)- Booking until: Saturday, 28 July 2018
Tartuffe description
It was last on the West End in 1981, when it played at the Playhouse Theatre and starred Felicity Kendal, John Sessions and Toby Stephens. Now Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known at theatrical powerhouse Molière, returns to London for a revival of Tartuffe. But Christopher Hampton’s adaptation is set in modern times – no less controversial, but a touch more relatable.
Gerald Garutti directs Tartuffe at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, which recently announced it was up for sale, from 25 May 2018. Hampton’s world moves forward from 17th century France into present day Los Angeles – head of the house Orgon is now a media tycoon set on becoming Hollywood royalty, only to fall under the spell of radical evangelist Tartuffe. The latter is set on driving the former apart from his friends and family and is on the cusp of stealing away Orgon’s fortunes entirely. Hampton’s piece is said to be “inspired by current world events”.
Hampton has previously already adapted Tartuffe for the London stage – the 1983 production at The Barbican starred Antony Sher, Alison Steadman and Mark Rylance. Hampton’s other award-winning work includes his play Les Liaison Dangereuses (and the subsequent film version, Dangerous Liaisons) and the book and lyrics for the musical Sunset Boulevard (co-written with Don Black).
Director Garutti has works in both English and French and was previously the dramaturg at the French National Theatre. He previously directed the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2011 production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses and so has partnered previously with Hampton.
Tartuffe will be the West End’s first dual language production, running in a combination of English with French surtitles, and French with English surtitles. A perfect, bilingual combination from a playwright renowned for adaptation of classic works.
