Moliere’s “Tartuffe,” written in 1664, is one of the most famous comedies of the stage and has seen many adaptations over the last 350 years. It was initially banned because it dealt with religious hypocrisy. There was a recent one in an Off-Broadway production with Matthew Broderick. A new version of the farce, adapted by Bob Sloan, presented by Kammerspiel, premiers at the Performance Garage in Fairmount for a very brief run.
It’s the story of a man and his family after Tartuffe arrives in town. The father, Orgon (Nathaniel Crosby Fishburn) and his mother, Pernelle (Dave Allison-played the role in drag), are mesmerized by Tartuffe (Connor Hogan). Orgon would do and does do anything and everything for him. But his daughters, Damis and Mariane, his sister Cleante, and his wife, Elmire, all see through the thin veneer of the lying, self-serving Tartuffe.
We don’t even meet Tartuffe until 20 minutes into the play. All we know about him is from the banter, back and forth, amongst the other characters. And what banter it is. The original play consisted of clever rhyming couplets, sometimes within a character’s lines, other times, the rhyme is from single lines between two characters. It is smart. It is clever. This version of the play is new. It takes place today. Looking up the play on-line, I see its themes were faithful to the original even though Organ’s brother and son in the original were recreated as his sister and daughter. But wait! The original was in French. The translators of the play would have to find similar words that rhymed. Sloan has done a masterful job in updating it in rhyme and in telling the story.
That story consists of Orgon’s family trying to expose the selfish, ruthless, Tartuffe. The other side of the story is Orgon defending everything about Tartuffe, in spite of the latter’s chicanery. Orgon even wants his daughter to break off her planned wedding with Valere and marry Tartuffe. When his other daughter, Damis objects strongly to her father’s idolization, he writes her out of his will.
Orgon’s wife sees all the hypocrisy that Orgon doesn’t see. She tries to set a trap for Tartuffe and puts her husband under a table to watch.
“Tartuffe” is being revised often these days because of the similarity between the play, and what is going on in this county- blind devotion to a person despite overwhelming evidence of his treachery.
The story unfolds on a bare stage except for a table and two benches. They don’t need more. What the actors needed to make this a more compelling play, was direction on how to recite the couplets. It lacked drama. It didn’t help define the characters. Orgon is portrayed as a fool- no depth at all. Tartuffe was often just rapidly reciting lines. I didn’t feel the ominous threat. But then again, neither do many Americans feel that threat today. Listening to him became tiring, and I just tuned out for short stretches.
One of my favorites in the play was the maid Dorin (Jennifer Summerfield), as she tries to help Orgon’s daughters and expose Tartuffe. Another favorite was Orgon’s wife, Elmire (Deborah Crocker), an interesting and real person. But often, I felt like the characters were acting in completely different plays. It’s supposed to be a farce. I didn’t find myself laughing often.
The Kammerspiel is a new theater in Philadelphia, and I was hesitant to criticize the production because I do want the company to succeed. But that’s what a critic does. As I said, this new version of the play is a good one.
“Tartuffe” by Moliere in a new version by Bob Sloan, at Kammerspiel at Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine St., Philadelphia PA, 215-569-4060, Tickets at performancegarage.org/performances Thru March 8, 2026
Philadelphia Theater Reviews by Frank Burd 