First performed at Versailles in 1664—and subsequently banned in France by the Church and the police for several years—centuries on, Molière’s Tartuffe still delights and feels bitingly relevant with its observations about human nature in Lucas Hnath’s sharp and spicy rhyming verse adaptation directed by Sarah Benson, receiving its world premiere Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop through January 24th, 2026.
The dream of a cast (hats off to casting director Taylor Williams for some inspired choices) assembled for this production is led by Emmy-nominated screen star and two-time Tony-winning theatre royalty Matthew Broderick as the titular grifter who has wormed his way into the palatial home of the wealthy Orgon (David Cross). Claiming to have no worldly assets and to care only for his devotion to God, the blandly charismatic and manipulative Tartuffe has ingrained himself into the all too gullible Orgon’s life as his spiritual guide, largely so the aristocrat can avoid being subjected to boring sermons or actually have to read the Bible for himself. Orgon’s mother, Mme Pernelle (Drag Race-winner Bianca Del Rio), is relieved that her son has turned to religion, but the rest of the family is unconvinced by Tartuffe’s apparent piety and professed motives.
As the satirical comedy continues over five acts (played out here over two hours without an intermission), the interloper increasingly disrupts the family’s lives, resulting in Orgon’s daughter Mariane’s (Emily Davis) engagement to Valére (Ikechukwu Ufomadu, scene-stealingly funny in multiple roles) being threatened; his son Damis (Ryan J. Haddad) being banished; Orgon’s wife Elmire (Amber Gray) suffering the man’s skin-crawling, unwanted advances; and Orgon’s brother-in-law Cleante’s (a spirited and engaging Francis Jue) sage advice going unheeded. Meanwhile, the most observant and insightful member of the household is its earthy, plain-speaking maid Dorine (Lisa Kron). But Orgon has been so easily and thoroughly hoodwinked by his new best friend that he is entirely incapable of hearing any criticism of the man.
The play opens with Mme Pernelle reading her family to filth as she explains why she is cutting her visit short. Bianca Del Rio gives a captivating tour-de-force turn in the satisfying, energetically-paced scene, owning the stage and committing to every breath and movement. I didn’t see drag, just a fully inhabited character, and her performance is a real triumph. Without pulling focus, Ryan J. Haddad makes the most of every second he is on stage as Damis and his foppish movement and knowingly camp delivery of the verse is delectable. With his dramatic, drawn-out declaration that he was hiding “in the closet”, being a particularly pleasurable line reading. Haddad appears to be having a whale of a time in the role, and consequently so do we as watch him. While his character’s lilac leather fur-topped boots are among the highlights in Enver Chakartash’s striking costume design with bold colour pairings, sumptuous detail, and playfully anachronistic flourishes like Dorine sporting a pair of New Balance sneakers. Not to forget the theatrical magic on display in a quick-change (more like speed-of-light-change) towards the end of the show which received a round of applause at the performance I was at. Robert Pickens’ ravishing hair and wig design also deserves praise.
With vocal and physical choices that effectively invoke a holier-than-thou, faux self-deprecating energy, Broderick’s late-entering Tartuffe is an enthrallingly underwhelming presence and every inch a creep, making Orgon’s pliability and endlessly idiotic naïveté, nicely played by Cross, all the more hilarious. The scenes between the two men, with Orgon refusing to believe Tartuffe’s true nature even when he is spelling it out, are hysterical. Davis’ performance is another highlight and she delivers terrific movement work, with some bravura facial expressions in a play where many of the characters are hindered from speaking their minds. While Gray adeptly calibrates her performance as a wife carefully choosing when to intervene and when to sit back and watch the repercussions of her stubborn and ignorant husband’s poor judgement play out.
Design collective dots (Santiago Orjuela-Laverde, Andrew Moerdyk, and Kimie Nishikawa) continue to impress here, following their memorable sets for Broadway’s Oh, Mary! and Romeo + Juliet, creating a minimalist but still luxuriant tennis court of a grand salon. There are taped markings on the floor, a bowl of tennis balls on stage—a few of which end up flying into the front row at one point—while tennis rackets are sometimes incorporated into the enchantingly delicate (in contrast to the often harsh wordplay in the scenes) interstitial movement vignettes choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly. The soothing accompanying music is abruptly interrupted by an electronic buzzer in Peter Mills Weiss’ sound design that delineates the scenes as tennis sets.
Benson carries the game of tennis analogy into her blocking and direction, suggesting that the action unfolding is all about strategy, with each character attempting to outmaneuver one another to get what they want. While occasionally the ball drops and the energy dips, when these players get into a verbal volley using Molière’s words channeled through Hnath’s playful, sometimes mischievous, rhymes it is thrilling and uproarious.
By James Kleinmann
Tartuffe officially opened Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop on December 16th and has been extended through January 24th, 2026. For more details and to purchase tickets head to nytw.org.
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