At Lost Nation A Great 'Tartuffe'
By Charlie McMeekin

If comedy's your kind of thing,
Then as a playwright, Moliere is king.
And if you need some kind of proof,
Just watch Lost Nation perform "Tartuffe"

What you've just experienced is an opening composed of rhyming couplets. Moliere's comedy "Tartuffe," currently in performance at Montpelier's Lost Nation Theater, is comprised entirely of couplets, although admittedly they tend to be of fancier construction and cleverness than the two above!

"Man's a strangely fashioned creature/ Who's scarce content to follow nature." The danger with rhyme is that the actors can fall victim to its embrace, and the result comes across as something Dr. Seuss would be proud of, but very tough on the audience.

Not so in this case. With few exceptions, the actors pay homage to the play's construction without being victimized by it, leaving the audience with a deep appreciation for the craft of both actor and playwright!

Although Tartuffe is the title character, he makes no appearance until just about intermission. Instead, the audience learns about him through the words of the other characters in the play. The man of the house, Orgon, has become completely enthralled with the piety and wisdom of Tartuffe, much to the dismay of the rest of his family. They see Tartuffe as a charlatan and a fraud, preying on Orgon's naivete. The plot's second thread is the love affair between Marianne, Orgon's daughter, and Valere.

As with any Moliere comedy, there are numerous twists and turns, and delightful characters who are refreshing in their simplicity! I was charmed by the talents of Abby Paige, who plays Dorine, Marianne's maid. Her facial gestures and sense of comic timing were first-rate.

Peter Husovsky, in his fifth Lost Nation show, is a wonderful mix of pomposity and gullibility, and his wife, Elmire, portrayed by Alicia Rodis, is an excellent match, and her scene when Dan Rankin as Tartuffe confesses his lust for her is one of the evening's many high points. Dan, by the way, is a strong Tartuffe, a role which requires a variety of personas and intense energy.

The whole show was put together by Rochester's Ethan Bowen, who never disappoints, whether it's acting or directing. The final product is a rich mixture of slapstick, sharp characterization, and clever staging using a very simple and utilitarian set.

Moliere's primary mission in writing Tartuffe was to give his audiences a chance to laugh at the comedy that is the human race. He does so while also managing to share a few more serious insights. The result, at least at Lost Nation, is a classic melding of much that is good about theater.

It's a great show to see in the waning days of summer/ So don't miss it, people, that would be a bummer!

"Tartuffe" runs at the Lost Nation Theater's City Hall Auditorium in Montpelier through Aug. 19. Showtimes are 7 p.m. for Thursday and Sunday performances, and 8 p.m. for Friday and Saturday shows. The performance on the 19th will be a special 2 p.m. matinee. Tickets may be reserved by calling 229-0492.