By By Amy Ginther
Religious fundamentalism. Hypocrisy. Abuse of power. Class warfare. Sex. Although this might sound like any given hour on CNN, it’s actually all found in a recent rehearsal for the drama department’s final show of the semester, Moliere’s “Le Tartuffe.”
Now, French neo-classic comedy isn’t usually what the conventional collegiate has in mind when planning a weekend of happy hour, hang overs and student center omeletes, but this diligent cast would ask said student to perhaps reconsider.
Theatre itself on campus has appeared antiquated in the recent years, as many students prefer the benign glow of Comedy Central or the digit-stimulation of their X-Boxes (both excellent college pastimes, mind you). It doesn’t help that this show was written in the 17th century, either.
Someone once said, however, that history doesn’t repeat itself-but it often rhymes. “Le Tartuffe” rhymes. It’s actually in verse. That seems daunting, doesn’t it? Kanye West rhymes and he’s pretty dreamy, so perhaps Moliere isn’t as lame as he seems.
More importantly, the themes of the show “rhyme” with the sociopolitical underpinnings of what’s currently going on in this nation. “Le Tartuffe” refers to a pious, hypocritical man who is invited to stay in the house of Organ and his family.
Tartuffe, who paces the house clutching a Bible, seeks to seduce Organ’s wife, while fooling Organ into giving Tartuffe his daughter’s hand in marriage and becoming heir to the family. Chaos, calamity and comedy ensue. The action on stage is as delicious to watch as an episode of “Desperate Housewives.” To make matters a bit more interesting, no one does dirty oversexed jokes like the crazy French playwrights.
Over-the-top comedy was the entertainment for the “with-it” 17th century hipster, way before FOX or the WB. Fortunately, Moliere’s writing is insightful enough to resonate with contemporary University students trying to deal with the complicated world around them.
“Just because the language is sophisticated doesn’t mean the humor has to be. Funny is funny,” said Senior Quinn Hushion, who plays the duped Orgon. “There’s nothing a college student wouldn’t relate to, especially the way we’re staging it.”
Director and Professor Jean Dobie Giebel makes it a priority to reflect the social versatility of this work by setting the classic French peice in the tumult of the ’30s. Rising conflict between the economic classes was nothing new in the 1600s, then it became a prominent issue during the era of the Great Depression and remains significant throughout the country today. Also, setting the production in the ’30s allows the cast to use the slapstick humor of the “Screwball Comedy” of the time, a la Groucho Marx.
“[These films] expressed a sort of reverse class system, where the poor were seen as noble and the rich as spoiled, foolish…and the behavior of the rich characters often resulted in ridiculous situations, while love interests pitted men against women in a comic battle,” Giebel explained in her production notes.
“It’s a satire on wealth,” cast member and Junior Jess Giametta said. “It’s props to the Paris Hiltons of the world.”
With all the potential of this production, the intrigue lies in whether the cast and director can utilize it effectively. Hushion is confident that students will find the show appealing. He shrugs, “[the characters] are just as messed up as we all are.”
“Le Tartuffe” runs Friday, Nov. 18 thru Dec. 4 at the West End Theater. Performance times are at 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. Student admission is free with University I.D. Contact the Box Office for details, ext. 6644.