George Blagden, Sebastian Roché and Olivia Ross are among the latest stars to have joined the West End cast of Tartuffe, alongside the previously announced Paul Anderson and Audrey Fleurot.
Molière’s classic comedy is revived in an imaginative new dual-language interpretation, which sees the character of Tartuffe (played by Peaky Blinders’ Anderson) play a radical American evangelist who uproots the life of a French film tycoon in Hollywood.
Sebastian Roché (Young Pope, HBO) will play said tycoon, Orgon, in his West End debut, while Blagden (Versailles, BBC; Vikings, Amazon) and Ross (War & Peace, BBC) will play Damis and Mariane, Orgon’s son and daughter respectively. They join film star Audrey Fleurot as Elmire, the tycoon’s wife.
The full cast also includes Jaz Deol as Valère, Zachary Fall as The Officer, John Faulkner as Monsieur Loyal, Paikan Garutti as Laurent, Annick Le Goff as Madame Pernelle, Claude Perron as Dorine, and Vincent Winterhalter as Cléante.
Paul Anderson will star in Tartuffe at Theatre Royal Haymarket (Photo: Eric Richmond)
Christopher Hampton’s new adaptation transports Tartuffe to L.A. of the present day. French media tycoon Orgon has re-located to Tinsel town with his family, his heart set on becoming Hollywood royalty. With a new studio to his name, and a palatial Beverly Hills mansion, his empire seems infallible.
But all is not as it seems, as Orgon falls under the seductive spell of Tartuffe, a radical evangelist. So comprehensively has Tartuffe hoodwinked Orgon that he looks set to steal his fortune, drive away his son, seduce his wife and marry his daughter.
Written in 1664, Tartuffe, or The Impostor became regarded as one of Molière’s most celebrated comedies, complete with some of the greatest classical theatre roles. Set present day in Donald Trump’s America, the play’s trenchant mockery of human frailties remains as relevant as ever in this darkly comic adaptation of the classic satire.
Tartuffe will premiere for a limited ten-week West End run at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from Friday 25 May 2018.
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