Reviews: Tartuffe: The Rhinestone Hypocrite: a world premiere of a very self-important play at Woodson High School
Written by Cameron Schermer of Robinson Secondary School
Bursting onto the stage in a flash of glitter, Woodson High School's "Tartuffe: The Rhinestone Hypocrite" is a shining new take on a classic satire. Following the deceitful megachurch pastor Tartuffe (Aiden Brennan) as he cons and manipulates the oblivious Orgon (Silas Blocker), the play comedically criticizes those who abuse the power of faith for monetary gain through slapstick comedy, absurd scenarios, and cartoonish characterizations. It also explores misogyny in the church through the character of Elmire (Juliana Gurrola), upon whom Tartuffe preys while calling on the biblical stories of Eve and Jezebel to blame her for his advances. Challenged with an ambitious, completely new adaptation of the original 17th-century play, the students of Woodson Drama rose to the occasion to create an engaging, hilarious play that felt as relevant now as it was in the 1600s.
The actors were all incredibly talented individually, but it was together that they really shined. The chemistry between duos like Orgon and Tartuffe, Mariane (Zoe Suruma) and Valere (Graham Bickford), and Elmire and Tartuffe was crackling as they bounced off of one another with unfailing energy. Even separately, the links between these characters were distinct, as Orgon and Tartuffe mirrored one another's physical gestures when talking about the other. Additionally, the cast carefully balanced the funny and the serious with immense poise and care. Juliana Gurrola and Aiden Brennan in particular managed this as they filled the story of Tartuffe's predatory advances on Elmire with hilariously comic moments such as Tartuffe running in place for nearly a full minute, held back by only Elmire's hand. Yet, they remained tastefully respectful of the very real issue that they were portraying, and never let the jokes overpower the message. Similarly, as Silas Blocker delivered his cl
imactic prayer monologue at the end, he found specific points to include a silly voice or gesture while ensuring that the serious message of the show was clear. The ensemble, too, punctuated this moment by toning down their energy momentarily to focus solely on him.
A massive centerpiece grounded the play: a church altar complete with trapdoor, glowing cross, and symbolic stained glass windows. This set (Henry Green, Daniel Rothlisberger, and Hiroko Rose), though perhaps underused in act one, served to anchor the chaos of the show. Its stained glass windows, one portraying Tartuffe as Jesus himself and the other bearing images of the snake of Eden twisted into a dollar sign and the apple being eaten, doubled as a direct symbol to the audience of Tartuffe's greed, while fitting within the universe, as Tartuffe controls his church through an obsession with sin and encourages them to worship him above God. However, the windows at times felt unbalanced as one was completely stained glass while the other held a stained glass image on a clear glass background.
Similarly, the costumes (Alexander Minde, Lilly Ryver, Anya Allensworth, Zoe Suruma, Cricket Nicholls) occasionally felt disjointed due to bright but inconsistent colors, though this was clearly meant to link pairs together, and only looked unbalanced in moments when the entire cast was onstage. Each costume was individually and in its groups beautiful and made with immense technical skill, especially the dress of Mariane, which was handmade with numerous intricate details.
"Tartuffe: The Rhinestone Hypocrite" was a thrilling, energetic experience that left the audience rolling with laughter. With jokes both within and outside of the script coming almost constantly, the cast managed to keep the plot clear while leaving the audience with barely a moment to catch their breath. Every actor and technician truly shone - and not just from the glitter.
Written by Kira Gilligan of Robinson Secondary School
"Sunday best" looks a little different when Tartuffe is involved. With youth pastors on roller skates, dazzling country music performances, and rhinestones as far as the eye can see, Woodson High School's "Tartuffe: The Rhinestone Hypocrite" tells the tale of a charismatic imposter and the family aiming to take him down.
The original Tartuffe, is a classical play written by the famous Moliere in 1664. It follows Orgon and his family as the fraudulent Tartuffe tries to become heir of the estate by pretending to have religious authority. While Tartuffe has Orgon under his control for much of the play, his hypocrisy is eventually revealed after the tireless work of Orgon's family. Tartuffe: The Rhinestone Hypocrite sets the classical comedy in a megachurch in Texas, with Tartuffe as pastor. Woodson pays homage to the era of the original Tartuffe through 4th-wall breaks, over-the-top physical comedy, and rhyming couplets, while modernizing the play with Gen-Z references and bling to last a lifetime.
Silas Blocker as the gruff and goofy Orgon and Aiden Brennan as the flamboyant Tartuffe were a comedic power duo. Blocker had expert control of his body in every purposeful and delightfully dramatic gesture. Blocker also mastered comedic contrast in Orgon's mood swings, switching from aggression characterized through growls and a sharp hunch in his shoulders to bashfulness embodied through silly singing and jazz hands. In contrast to Blocker's control, Brennan displayed Tartuffe's ego and charisma through relaxed and loose movements. By swinging his hips, shimming his shoulders, sliding down a staircase, and even thrusting his way into a room, Brennan had Tartuffe demand attention.
In a play with plenty of comedic chaos, Juliana Gurrola as Elmire served as a grounded energy. Gurrola's posture was strong and unmoving, and her voice had a sincere grit that paired nicely with her southern twang. In "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing," Gurrola sang sorrowfully to Orgon in a touching moment of connection. Zoe Suruma as Mariane had equally strong characterization in her childlike demeanor. Suruma bounced from place to place and exhibited Mariane's discontent through wails, squeals, and dramatic poses.
Lilly Ryver, Alexander Minde, Cricket Nicholls, and the Woodson Drama Costumes Crew decked the actors in bedazzled western wear. They mixed extravagant, celebrity-inspired designs with religious imagery to demonstrate the maximalist nature of Orgon's church. Mariane's costume displayed her childish and innocent nature, making Suruma look like a true southern belle. Her dress was skillfully made to incorporate a puffy skirt and corset adorned with pearls and other accessories. Tartuffe's costumes were rich with glitz and glam, inspired by Elvis, to demonstrate his showmanship. They connected Tartuffe's fake allegiance to the church through his cape, which, paired with his high collar, looked like the hood of a cobra.
Henry Green, Daniel Rothlisberger, Hiroko Rose, and the Woodson Drama Set Crew created the glorious megachurch. They illustrated Tartuffe's greed through stained glass windows with a cobra in the shape of a dollar sign, a light-up cross, and large marquee letters spelling Tartuffe that lined the set. In addition, the set team built a trap door with a box for actors to wait in, which allowed for hilarious gags of family members hiding in and springing out of a chest.
Through many master plans and even a fight with a possum, the strength of family and morality conquered deception and charm, and Tartuffe's reign was toppled. With dazzling tech and performances, Woodson High School told the tale of "Tartuffe: The Rhinestone Hypocrite" with a balance of comedy and sincerity.