‘Tartuffe’ Review: An Innovative Rendition of Molière’s Classic Play

“You deserve to be Tartuffified.” This line, delivered by the hilarious maid Dorine (Lauren Elias) in the Hub Theatre Company of Boston’s production of “Tartuffe” at BCA Plaza Theatre, is a message to Boston’s theatergoers to see the wonderful play. Hub Theatre’s rendition of the classic play by Molière is a must-see lighthearted comedy for this fall season. The production, with pay-what-you-can tickets, will run through Nov. 24.

Hub Theatre’s “Tartuffe” takes on Richard Wilbur’s translation of the 1664 play by French playwright Molière. The story follows a family’s efforts to expose the conman Tartuffe (Jeremy Beazlie), who has taken advantage of the trusting head of the household, Orgon (Brooks Reeves) to scam him out of all his possessions.

Upon entrance into the black box theater, the minimalist set of “Tartuffe” inspires commendation for its creation of an immersive experience, with mirrors for walls and curtains lining the back of the stage. Wigs adorn busts on the shelves, reflecting the avant-garde and beautifully crafted wigs, designed by Liv Curnen, that most of the actors wear. The set also has no wings, so as actors come and go from backstage, the continuity between the onstage space and the backstage enhances the flow of the story’s events. This continuity, alongside the cohesion between the costumes and set, strengthens the reality of the performance and creates the feeling of looking in on a family’s real experience, rather than watching actors onstage.

However, this illusion is broken in the frequent instances where actors break the fourth wall. Notably, in an amusing argument between Mariane (Lily Ayotte) and her lover Valère (Robert Thorpe), Valère engages directly with an audience member. Dorine, the family’s housemaid, also frequently breaks the fourth wall with her under-the-breath remarks. During these moments, the audience is pulled from the suspended reality of “Tartuffe,” but the actors’ successful delivery of the humor enhances engagement with the play, so the breaks do not ruin the overall enjoyability of the performance.

As for the show’s costuming, Curnen’s work as wig designer alongside that of costume and makeup designer Marissa Wolf excels with clever combinations of minimalism and maximalism. Each character combines extravagant wigs with exaggerated 17th century makeup, while the costumes merge modern items like jeans with corsets, boning, and shiny, bow-adorned shoes. The costumes pair well with the minimalist set and visually enhance the experience of the classic play’s modern rendition.

Director Bryn Boice incorporates modern ad libs and props throughout “Tartuffe,” which cleverly connects an old script to relatively young audiences — at least when compared to Molière’s original audience. Because of the mix of modern and baroque style in the show’s design, these modern additions do not break the illusion of the time period. Instead, they add another layer of humor — for example, when Dorine snacks on Big Gulp and popcorn while watching a squabble between Mariane and Valère.

Boice also masterfully directs her actors to embody the characters they portray. Each performer blossoms through intense monologues and physical acting. Every actor is able to land punchlines and convey emotion through Molière’s rhyming schemes without getting caught in the struggle of memorizing long monologues. The natural feel of their rhyme delivery contributes to the show’s humor without distracting from the plot. Comedic timing and physical humor by Reeves and Beazlie mark them as standout performers alongside Elias and Laura Rocklyn, who plays Elmire.

By the end of the story, the imposter Tartuffe is exposed and taken away, delivering an effective and happy ending to a story filled with humor and hypocrisy. The audience, meanwhile, leaves the theater having experienced two hours of great laughs from Hub Theatre’s stellar rendition of Molière’s classic.

“Tartuffe” runs at the BCA Plaza Theatre through Nov. 24.