(Amber Gray, David Cross and Matthew Broderick in New York Theatre Workshop’s TARTUFFE, photo by Marc J. Franklin)

by Tim Leininger

NEW YORK — Molière’s Tartuffe is a classic and sometimes it seems, as actor Francis Jue recently posted on Instagram, when one production of Tartuffe closes in New York City, another must open. Sometimes, though, when that new production comes out, the only thing you’re feeling is how much you miss that earlier production. This is how I felt leaving New York Theatre Workshop’s production of Lucas Hnath’s new version of Molière’s classic farce, choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly, and directed by Sarah Benson, running through Jan. 25, 2026, at the New York Theatre Workshop at 79 E. 4^th St. in New York City.

            This isn’t to say that the production two months ago at the House of the Redeemer starring André De Shields was perfect. It, for sure, wasn’t. De Shields never learned all of his lines and had a copy of the script he carried around to read from at points when he didn’t know them. If there is one positive thing to say about New York Theatre Workshop’s production, it’s that at least the cast knew all their lines. This, apparently, is barely a truth as I have been told on good authority by audience members from earlier performances that David Cross, who plays Orgon in the play, has been dropping some of his lines.

            Cross isn’t the only miscasting. The titular Tartuffe is played by Matthew Broderick, who looked horribly bored and like he wanted to be anywhere else but in this show. For a role who is supposed to exude pious pomposity mixed with seductiveness, there was nothing going on. The play is supposed to be a comedy, a farce about the manipulation of upper class and political authorities by purported religious figures for selfish purposes. Though it still happens narratively, there was nary a laugh to be had as Tartuffe attempts to seduce (if that’s what you want to call what Broderick is doing) Orgon’s wife, Elmire, played by Amber Gray, and tries to marry Orgon’s daughter Mariane, played by Emily Davis. There should be some rich, broad humor in the process, but there’s nothing coming from Broderick or Cross. Cross delivers his lines like he knows that he’s supposed to be funny, which kills any humor within, instead of letting his character be authentic and letting the humor play out naturally.

(Amber Gray in New York Theatre Workshop’s TARTUFFE, photo by Marc J. Franklin)

Not all the performances were bad. Gray was great and seemed to have the best grasp on the dialogue, playing the role with a grounded sincerity, allowing the humor to play out organically. Davis as Mariane, Lisa Kron, who play the housemaid Dorine, and Francis Jue, who plays Elmire’s brother Cleante, all seem to have approached their roles with a broader physicality, which did give the play a degree of physical humor, which compensated for some of the weaker performances. But, what we end up with is a mess of a production with inconsistency with what the show is supposed to be.

            Much of the responsibility for the play’s disjointed nature falls on the text. Hnath’s new version still maintains Molière’s rhyming couplets, though the Alexandrine verse (12-syllable lines) is inconsistent at best. Compared to Ranjit Bolt’s translation that has been the standard for the last 25 years or so, and had already been debated about being dumbed down, Hnath’s translation feels like Moliere adapted by Dr. Seuss, with a bit of profanity thrown in for a bit of adult color.

The text reads like there’s an assumption that audiences aren’t going to understand the play unless everything is spelled out at the beginning. Hnath does this by having most of the members of the Orgon household gathered early on talking about Tartuffe — a purported Christian leader who has become Orgon’s spiritual mentor — and how he has gained full manipulative control of Orgon. It’s spelled out so plainly, it undercuts any tension later once the titular Tartuffe appears. Then when the show reaches it ending, there’s a forced attempt at trying to address the family’s own hypocrisies. The text shows a lack of trust in the audience to understand the relationships of the characters to develop and see how Tartuffe is the horrible manipulative man that he is.

(David Cross & Lisa Kron in New York Theatre Workshop’s TARTUFFE, photo by Marc J. Franklin)

            Then there’s the issue of the scenic design by dots. For the most part, I have no problem with the simple one room design with the dining table, a cabinet that people hide in, and a couple other items in the room. But, for some reason, director Sarah Benson wanted a tennis court theme, creating a metaphor of the characters bandying back and forth with witticisms. There are even the lines of a tennis court painted into the set design. The problem is, if you’re going to do that, direct the characters to fit that design. Instead, it’s a visual gimmick that doesn’t work. There are some excellent costumes though by Enver Chakartash, particularly the dresses for the ladies.

            New York Theatre Workshop has produced some of the greatest theater in New York since I’ve moved to the tri-state area, from RENT to the recent revival of Merrily We Roll Along, but this is one of the most disappointing productions I’ve seen this year. It is confused, dumbed down, and half the cast seem like they either don’t understand what’s expected of them or would rather be off doing a regional production of A Christmas Carol, which would probably be better than this mess of Molière. I’ll take Andre De Shields not learning his lines over this any day.

TARTUFFE

TICKETS: https://www.nytw.org/

PRODUCTION: Written by Molière; A New Version by Lucas Hnath; Choreography by Raja Feather Kelly; Directed by Sarah Benson; Scenic Design: dots; Costume Design: Enver Chakartash; Lighting Design: Stacey Derosier; Sound Design: Peter Mills Weiss; Wig & Hair Design: Robert Pickens; Makeup Design: Katie Gell; Properties Supervisor: Addison Heeren; Original Music: heather Christian; Music Supervisor: Ben Moss; Voice & Text Coach: Gigi Buffington; Intimacy Director: Crista Marie Jackson; Fight Director: UnkleDave’s FightHouse; Casting Director: Taylor Williams, CSA; Production Stage Manager: Kasson Marroquin

CAST

Matthew Broderick as Tartuffe

David Cross as Orgon

Emily Davis as Mariane

Bianca Del Rio as Mme Pernelle

Amber Gray as Elmire

Ryan J. Haddad as Damis

Francis Jue as Cleante

Lisa Kron as Dorine

Ikechukwu Ufomadu as Valère