Hot and heavy under the collar Moliere's sardonic comedy breaks down boundaries and the fourth wall

VICTOR RODRIGUEZ Managing Editor @Vrodriguez2100

The weight of the cross, familial expectations, and a family’s desperate attempt to enlighten their pollyanna patriarch are the building blocks Molière left back in 1664.

Shaheen Vaaz, the director, has crafted a winning recipe with a dynamic cast, witty intellectual dialogue, and a live musical performance, for her interpretation of “Tartuffe.”

The content of the script is what makes this play timeless. These themes of religion, hypocrisy, foolishness, morality and ethics are all universal and do not need the assistance of fashion from the 1960s to be relatable.

Vaaz had a novel idea, changing the time period, but lacked follow through. I believe it was an all-ornothing decision, either completely transform into a 1960s production or do not, and she tried to choose both.

The costumes themselves are very aesthetically pleasing, but they did nothing to enhance anyone’s understanding of the play.

The play opens with an upset Madame Pernelle (Avita Broukhim) rushing out of her son Orgon’s (Brian Felker) home, all the while berating her son’s second wife, Elmire (Leah Foster) and her brother, Cleante (Ben Landmesser), as well as Orgon’s two children, Damis (Gregory Hanson), and Mariane (Michelle Johnson) for their treatment of the titular character Tartuffe (Amir Khalighi).

Orgon has been away on business for two days. Upon returning, he summons Dorine (Meagan Truxal), Mariane’s maid, to fill him in on the status of the house. To Dorine’s dismay, Orgon seemingly couldn’t care less about his wife’s debilitating fever, while hanging over Tartuffe’s every word.

Mariane is set to marry Valere

(Nickolas Caisse), a young, ecstatic lover. The two are madly in love; their relationship is akin to any generic high school romance.

Orgon and his mother have both been deluded into believing the treacherous words of Tartuffe, a religious hypocrite and con man.

Orgon is so far gone under his spell; he even turns a blind eye when Tartuffe makes a sexual advance on his wife.

Damis, is not one to pass up a chance at exposing the fraud, no matter how tactless he appears.

Tartuffe, takes this opportunity to display his particular skill for