New adaptation of Moliere’s Tartuffe comes to Calgary stage

The cast of The Shakespeare Company's production of Moliere's Tartuffe, which runs at Vertigo Studio Theatre through June 6

Can a French farce that premiered in 1664 speak to 2026 theatre audiences in Calgary?

Richard Beaune thinks so.

Beaune is the artistic director of The Shakespeare Company, but for this season’s closing production, he opted to adapt a Moliere classic, Tartuffe.

Tartuffe opened Thursday night at the Vertigo Studio Theatre and runs through June 6.

Even though there is a theory that comedy doesn’t age well, Beaune said in an email interview that the work of Moliere, who died in 1673, has somehow defied that wisdom.

Why Moliere?

“Because in my opinion he’s the second greatest playwright who’s ever lived,” Beaume said.

Tartuffe tells the story of Orgon, a pious man who invites his religious mentor Tartuffe to stay at his home.

Everyone around him can see that Tartuffe is a scammer, but Orgon keeps believing in him until Tartuffe leaves with everything.

And as far as remaining relevant to contemporary audiences, Tartuffe just played off-Broadway earlier this year in a New York Theatre Workshop production starring Matthew Broderick.

The 70s

The Shakespeare Company’s adaptation moves the action to the 1970s, where religious hypocrisy ran into disco culture.

Beaume said that the secret to writing comedy with a four century shelf life is that Moliere satirized real human behaviour.

“Moliere’s comedies are mostly satire, but with Tartuffe, he adds in plenty of farce making this a very special play that has a bite,“ Beaume said, ”but it’s hidden under layers of silliness that this production really embraces.

“This is a completely ridiculous show -- until you go home and think about it,” he said. “Then you realize the deeper notes.”

Updating a 17th century script to the 70s had its challenges.

“My first concern when updating the setting was to acknowledge the changes in gender politics over the centuries, while not making the play overtly political or un-funny,” Beaume said.

“I wanted an Elmire who could physically dominate Tartuffe and I wanted a world that was accessible, fun, funny and maybe a little sexy,” he added. “I found answers to all of those in the Glam Rock world and took particular inspiration from David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust era.”

He said the production represents a bit of a departure for a company dedicated to the work of Shakespeare -- and that’s OK.

“I’d like to expand the offerings of The Shakespeare Company to offer classics that represent cultures and traditions beyond England,” he said.

“We’ll continue to present Shakespeare, of course, but I want to acknowledge that the world is expansive and that Calgary is a cosmopolitan city with a rich diversity that I’d like to reflect through our programming.

“This is a first, small step in that direction,” he said. “If audiences support this, we can do more of it.”

For more about The Shakespeare Company’s production of Tartuffe, go here.