A comedy theatre ‘Tartuffe’, directed by Roya Nonahali, TV and cinema actress, is underway at Tehran’s Shams Theatre Hall.
First performed in 1664, Tartuffe is one of the most famous theatrical comedies by Molière, French playwright and actor. The characters, Elmire and Orgon, are considered among the greatest classical theatre roles, ISNA reported.
In the story, Orgon’s family is up in arms because he and his mother have fallen under the influence of Tartuffe, a pious fraud (and a vagrant prior to Orgon’s help). Tartuffe pretends to be pious and to speak with divine authority, and Orgon and his mother are at first deeply influenced by him. “The story unravels with fear and humor,” she said, and hoped to leave a lasting impression on the audience.
The performance is Nonahali’s first experience in directing. She said theatre reflects life in a way that it can be construed uniquely by each viewer.
Mohsen Hosseini, Maryam Bobani, Roya Bakhtiari, Roozbeh Mehr, Human Kiayi, Shirin Esmaili, and Nonahali are the cast and it is on stage until August 22.
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known by his stage name Molière, is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in western literature.
Contemporary French and English both use the word ‘tartuffe’ to designate a hypocrite who ostensibly and exaggeratedly feigns virtue, especially religious virtue. The play is written in 1,962 twelve-syllable lines of rhyming couplets.
