Moliere’s satire Tartuffe is a classic of Western theater, focusing on a fraudulent, zealous intruder in a wealthy household. A production of the comedy opens Thursday at Gonzaga University.
In this conversation, condensed from a recent installment of SPR's From the Studio, host Henry McNulty spoke with director Blake Anthony Edwards, producer Leslie Stimoulas, and actors Jack Champlin and Hailey O'Hara.
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BLAKE ANTHONY EDWARDS: “The play involves this zealous intruder who is the titular character Tartuffe, and he is a religious conman, essentially, who our central character Orgon falls underneath his infatuating spell, as Doreen puts it in the play. It is a tale partly of, you know, outing religious hypocrites and hypocrites of all colors. In fact, it uses religion kind of as the prism through which we view hypocrisy.
“But it also really tells the story – and this is what really drew me to the play in our contemporary age – is it's the story of a man, Orgon, who has fallen under the spell of a fraudulent individual, and he's got every member of his family saying, ‘How can you not see through this person? Really? Are we really going there?’ And the idea of losing someone you love to a rabbit hole of lies, I think, is something that is going to provide a little bit of a hook for our contemporary audiences.”
JACK CHAMPLIN: “I play Orgon, who is essentially the head of the household, and he's the one who falls victim to Tartuffe's manipulation.”
HAILEY O’HARA: “I play Doreen, and Doreen is nothing but a common lowly maid who is very loyal to Orgon and Orgon's house, and she's so well spoken, and she kind of has the privilege of saying almost whatever she wants and getting away with it. She's very clever. Yeah, very fun.”
O’Hara and Champlin performed a short scene from the play:
O’HARA (as Doreen): “Think, sir, before you play so risky a role.”
CHAMPLIN (as Orgon): “This servant girl presumes to save my soul.”
O’HARA: “You would do well to ponder what I've said.”
CHAMPLIN: “Daughter will disregard this dunderhead. Just trust your father's judgment. Oh, I'm aware I once promised you to young Valaire, but now I hear he gambles, which greatly shocks me. What's more, I've doubts about his orthodoxy. His visits to church, I note, are very few.”
O’HARA: “Would you have him go at the same hours as you and kneel nearby to be sure of being seen?”
CHAMPLIN: “I can dispense with such remarks, Doreen. Tartuffe, however, is sure of heaven's blessing, and that's the only treasure worth possessing. This match will bring you joys beyond all measure. Your cup will overflow with every pleasure. You two will interchange your faithful loves like two sweet cherubs or two turtle doves.”
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HENRY McNULTY: “I also asked producer Leslie Stimoulas whether there were any hesitations choosing this satire on religion at a Jesuit university.”
LESLIE STIMOULAS: “Definitely not. We are really grateful for the support that we get in Gonzaga Theatre to explore the ideas that we think are relevant and need to be explored.
“And that's certainly not out of step with the Jesuit practice of contemplation. And indeed, the Ignatian principle of being a contemplative in action is something we really take to heart in Gonzaga Theatre, because it means you need to think and you need to do. And that's everything that you need to do when you're doing live theater.
“And being contemplative in action, as everything that you heard in the text and that Blake was talking about, these are all ideas that need to be explored.”
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A much longer version of Henry’s conversation with the cast and minds behind the Gonzaga production of Tartuffe can be found here.
Tartuffe plays Thursday, November 7th, through Saturday, November 9th, at 7.30 p.m., and Sunday the 10th at 2 p.m. at the Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center.
The Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center is a financial supporter of Spokane Public Radio, but we cover them as we would any other organization.
