Tartuffe Presented by Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble at PIP Theatre

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Fri 12 Jul 2024 - Sun 28 Jul 2024

"In fact, I see right through him. He's a fraud"

Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble presents Molière's famous work, Tartuffe . First performed in 1664, Tartuffe is one of the great classics of the stage. The three main characters, Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon, are also considered to be among the great theatrical roles. The play explores those who trade in lies and false representations, those who take advantage of these falsehoods, and also critically examines those who are naive enough to fall for them.



About the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble
Founded in 2001, the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble puts on popular productions as well as provides great training programs for the theatre, including short courses such as Young Actor's Shakespeare Intensive, Theatre of the Oppressed and Shakespeare Scene Studies. They also have a reputation for community programs, including Shakespeare in Your Own Voice and Shakespeare in Prisons. They can also be booked for events with their Shakespeare’s Shorts, which are short forms of Shakespeare's famous works.



Why are they doing works that are not Shakespeare?
Post pandemic there has been an international phenomenon of theatre companies putting less emphasis on Shakespeare than before the pandemic. This may be because during the pandemic people had more time to explore the vast number of plays available, and so found interesting works to put on. So far, after the pandemic, Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble has put on The Rover, Margaret Atwood's Penelopiad and now, Tartuffe. From talking to people at the ensemble, part of it is that they just found these works both fun and interesting. Don't worry, they will still have productions of Shakespeare, including Julius Caesar in November.



Another reason is that they are a semi-professional ensemble. That means that they can put on these classics, which require a large cast, without having to charge high ticket prices while still having very professional and brilliant principles in key roles. As always, their plays represent great value for money for people who want to go to the theatre.



About Tartuffe
The Orgon family falls under the influence of Tartuffe who has been taken in by Orgon and his mother, and who falsely speaks of virtue and piety. The play explores how hypocrites can wield influence, how others, knowing they are hypocrites, can take advantage of this situation, and how those who are naive can be fooled. It also shows the impact on those who try to speak out against the hypocrites and the conflict within groups that can arise as a result.



Here today in the 21st century, this is a very relevant theme. In fact, it is hard to think of when this theme has not been relevant in both politics and life. In its own time, it was immediately attacked by the church for suggesting that those who talk of religious virtue might be frauds. This play has been so influential that a Tartuffe has come to mean in both English and French someone who hypocritically talks of virtue.

About PIP Theatre
PIP is a performing arts company that was in need of a performance space and so opened the PIP Theatre in Milton. Surrounded by trendy cafes and restaurants, this little theatre and company believes in Purpose in Performance. As well as the theatre space there is also a back deck with a bar for refreshments and nice views, making it worthwhile getting there early for a few drinks before the show. As the play is on in July, it is a good idea to take a jacket for the interval as you will be outside at that time.



Getting there

Driving is pretty easy with the Savoir Faire Car Park being free on weekends and after 4 pm on weekdays. There is free 2 hour parking in the streets nearby, but that is not really enough time to enjoy the play unless you move your car during the interval. Otherwise, there are plenty of secure car parks in the area. Mind you, if there is a game or show on at Suncorp then it is better to take public transport or at least book your parking spot in advance.

Of course, you can go by public transportation making use of trains, buses and there is a ferry terminal at the end of Park Road (the river end if you were wondering which end). It is also a pleasant walk along the river from the city.

Before & after the play
The short answer there is that there are many cafes, restaurants and bars in the area. Have a meal before the show, and a few drinks afterwards at one of the bars. If you were looking for some French food to go with a French play, then the Libertine, serving French & Vietnamese food, at The Barracks is the closest option that I know about. Though you can also eat Italian food at La Dolce Vita under a replica of the Eiffel Tower right next to the theatre.



Overall
These productions by the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble seek to cut through any pretentiousness and present them with the same raucous attitude that they would have been performed with when they were new. One of their goals has always been to make theatre accessible, and they achieve this very effectively. Tartuffe% should be a fun production even if it may uncomfortably remind us a bit too much of politics that exist today.

Location: PIP Theatre, Savoir Faire, 20 Park Rd, Milton QLD 4064
Dates: July 12th-28th 2024
Times: Wednesday to Sundays, with evening, twilight & matinee performances on different days
Tickets: Full $40 & Concession $29
Website: https://piptheatre.org/tartuffe
Phone: 0427 031 983

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