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WEEK of January 21, 2008 |
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A Modern American Comedy (from 1669) by Jeffrey Stanley The Upper School play Tartuffe opens next week in the newly renovated Meeting House. Written by Molière and banned in France after its 17th century premiere, this biting comedy about con artists and religious hypocrisy remains relevant as ever. Do not miss this show. “Tartuffe is about a con artist who pretends to be pious. A rich man named Orgon invites him into his home,” explains eleventh grader Laura Donohue. “Orgon’s family finally convinces him that Tartuffe is evil but Orgon has already given him everything. It’s really funny.” Laura is the production’s enthusiastic stage manager, and seemed dressed for the role at a rehearsal last week, the slogan “I am aware of your useleness” stenciled by hand across her t-shirt in Situationist fashion. Not surprisingly, she plans to major in art but hopes to keep theatre a part of her life at Hampshire College. “I stage managed The Crucible last year. A lot of actors were hoping I’d do this again because I didn’t yell at them.” How does she do such a great job stage managing without yelling at anyone? “I think they respect me. And I respect them. I pretty much coordinate.” She says the biggest challenge for her is the long hours. “It’s tough being here every day including Saturdays and doing school work but it’s worth it. You start with nothing at all and at the end you have this incredible show before your eyes. I just find that amazing.”
Senior Lucas McCaslin, who plans to major in philosophy, explains his character Tartuffe. “He’s a guy who invades someone’s home and takes advantage of their good intentions. If he bites an apple the worm better watch out, he’s that kind of guy. You know what I mean?” We know what he means. This is Lucas’s third and final Upper School play and perhaps his most challenging role. “It’s difficult being able to try to find humor and physicality while using verse.” He’s not alone. The entire play is written in alexandrines, or rhymed couplets with twelve syllables per line, and the dialogue is also proving a challenge for senior Kimmy Tronolone. “I thought rhyme was going to be easier than straight dialogue but it’s hard to ad lib if you forget a line,” she joked. “If you forget one rhyme it throws the whole thing off. And it’s a challenge to try to act while also remembering it all.” In her fourth and final Upper School play she portrays Elmire, the second wife of wealthy but naive Orgon, Tartuffe’s dupe. “I dislike Tartuffe very much, I can tell he’s a fake but he’s really into me, and there’s a point where I use that to my advantage to help my family.” Director Jeremy Richards isn’t worried about the language. “I decided they could handle it when I saw the Middle School students doing A Midsummer Night’s Dream and worked with the Upper School students on The Crucible last year. I realized they’re mature enough to handle challenging, risky and racy material, that they’re thriving from it.” He believes they’re ready for the rich and full language in this play, too. “Senior Eli Sidman for example is really grasping it and running with it, and finding modern analogies,” he said.
Tartuffe is also the first play to be done in the fully renovated Pearl Street Meeting House. Aside from a warm new look there have been technical improvements. “You can tell when you get in there that the acoustic walls make a difference. The sound is amazing. We haven’t fully tested it yet but I’m really excited because there’s a big sound element to Tartuffe,” said Jeremy. This particular day Jeremy was less focused on the alexandrines than on the physical comedy he’s injecting into the play. He believes people at this age have slapstick in their blood, so he is concocting an opening scene involving no language at all, making use of actions and music to tell a three-minute version of the entire play as a kind of farcical foreshadowing. The whole cast will participate but the focus is on freshman Miriam Gentile and junior John Vielot. Miriam thought it would make sense for her character to be a drinker in this mimed opening and Jeremy agreed to let her give it a try. “Do you think it’s possible to get a bar and some drinks? Is that period-appropriate?” he called to technical director Catherine Clarke back in the booth. “I don’t think so,” she said, coming down to join them. “Okay so no drinks.” “How about a game? Like chess or something. How about tea?” suggested Catherine. Jeremy mulled this over. “She could have a flask,” Catherine added. “Excellent, she can have a flask.”
They resumed the scene again, this time with Miriam miming a hidden flask. “Can I be drunk?” “Sure, be drunk. Let’s see what happens, you are the artist right now so do what you want,” said Jeremy, providing his own musical score, mimicking a full orchestra as they tried the scene again. Meanwhile John, also in character, watched her indiscretion from afar and then charged at her, scolding. He stopped. “I’m not sure. Is it a joke that I’ve caught her drinking, like I’m joking with her? I’m just riffing right now.” “That’s fine. Riff. Try it. Let’s say there was a boss and an employee who were having an affair. At work they have to act a certain way because people might be watching. This is similar. When you come in and catch her drinking you’ve got to scold her until you’re sure no one’s around. Let’s take it back.” From there the scene evolved into a series of comical shoves, chases, flirts, and tickles—a touch of old-fashioned slapstick ending in a brief kiss. “The play is amazing,” Jeremy said later. “The students are amazing. I’m really excited to share this with BFS and with the New York theatre community.” He sounds serious when he says he believes Tartuffe is going to be the best production he’s directed so far at BFS. “There’s nothing in theatre that people this age can’t do,” he said. “It just takes the right guidance.” • Tartuffe will be presented on Friday, January 25 and Saturday, January 26 at 7 pm in the meetinghouse/theater at 375 Pearl Street. Tickets ($5 students/$10 adults) may be purchased at the reception desk at Pearl Street beginning on Tuesday, January 22. |
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