Review: Roger McGough's Tartuffe at Liverpool Playhouse

Tartuffe at Liverpool Playhouse - Photo credit: Robert Day

One good reason to happily kiss goodbye to the summer months is the Playhouse's autumn season, opening with Molière's classic comedy Tartuffe.

Surrounded by controversy when first performed in 1664, the Parisian playwright's satire was immediately banned in a bid to avoid misinterpretation by the feeble-minded masses.

Happily for the modern masses (feeble-minded or not) Litherland-born poet Roger McGough, much loved by generations for his trademark scouse humour, produced a fresh adaptation of the 17th Century French farce to celebrate the Capital of Culture year.

Four years on, the English Touring Theatre have returned to charm Liverpool audiences for a second time with McGough's hilarious version of Tartuffe, or, as it became commonly known, 'The Imposter.'

Emerging from behind the rich red opening curtain, reflecting the Regency style of 17th Century Paris, the static set and luxuriously magnificent costumes conjure up a grand picture of finery in a French chateau, littered with gold-trimmed mirrors and embroidered furniture.

McGough has expertly transformed Molière's original prose and stamped his signature style throughout with impossibly clever rhyming couplets, uttered with captivating ease by each character. All except Tartuffe himself, who speaks in "leaden prose", to thinly conceal his beastly nature in language, body, mind, and soul.

The audience are revealed the measure of cunning Tartuffe, with a deliciously devious portrayal by Colin Tierney, from the moment he appears on stage requesting meekly for his hairshirt to be "rubbed with more stinging nettles."

Trickster Tartuffe has conned the gullible master of the house Orgon, performed to high camp perfection by Joseph Alessi, into believing he is a pious man with nowhere to live. Much to Orgon's family's frustration, Tartuffe can do no wrong in the kind-hearted Orgon's wool-covered eyes.

A huge sense of fun abounds throughout this bawdy romp as the players hide in cupboards or wooden chests to eavesdrop on Tartuffe's wicked wiles as he reveals his true colours (right down to his discoloured loincloth!) to Orgon's wife. It is during these amusing set pieces that the static set really showed off its versatility.

Exceedingly well crafted speeches have transformed this French play to entertain a modern, very British, audience. With our French heroes each speaking perfect English throughout, there is a hugely satisfying running joke referring to "A common English saying..." before uttering such phrases as " 'ogs may fly" in an Englishman's stereotypical impression of a French accent. Slick, superb writing from McGough, with this rhythmic adaptation showcasing his innate ability to tickle his audience's collective funny bone through a veritable plethora of verse.

The ensemble cast triumph in the two-hour performance of Tartuffe's deception through to his inevitable betrayal and gratifying comeuppence. Whilst each player delivered a faultless embodiment of their larger-than-life characters, the stand out performance came from Dorine (Annabelle Dowler) as the garrulous housemaid who has Tartuffe's motives pegged from the off.

I'd wager it impossible to leave this production without a smile fixed to your face after a joyful, rousing burst of song closes the action in salute to Molière, to whom we owe this whimsical masterpiece.

9/10 Encore!

Tartuffe will run at the Liverpool Playhouse from Thursday 8th to Saturday 17th September before embarking on a UK tour.

Box Office: 0151 709 4776

Online Booking (24-hour): www.everymanplayhouse.com

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