The Hypocrite

The rich but foolish Orgon (Gary McDonald) and his mother Madame Pernelle (Kerry Walker) have fallen for the religious zealot, Tartuffe (Kim Gyngell), who nearly seduces Orgon’s wife Elmire (Marina Prior) and robs Orgon of his estate before he is unmasked.

Justin Fleming’s new adaptation for the MTC is faithful in spirit to Moliere’s original, even to the improbable final scene. The verse, with its short, deliberately rhymed phrases, is also retained, creating an artificiality that, under Peter Evans’ direction, tilts from satire into farce.

As scenes ride towards their climax Fleming’s witty rhymes escalate with them, often clinching the situation hilariously. Elsewhere there is a lighter touch, such as the speech by Orgon’s brother Cléante (Nicholas Bell), where he tries to warn him about Tartuffe’s hypocrisy by describing how a truly good person would behave. When Gyngell as Tartuffe finally enters, his pretence and Orgon’s gullibility seem doubly unbelievable.

The play may date from the 17th century but the style of this production is like a French farce from two centuries later, while the design mixes 18th century and contemporary catwalk fashion, again emphasising the artificiality.

As Madame Pernelle, Walker sets the pace in the opening scene with such ferocity her disappearance until the final scene is hardly noticed. McDonald is in his element; darting about the stage in thigh high boots, lime green coat and a candyfloss wig, looking like an ostrich dressed in Christian Lacroix. Mandy McElhinney as the scheming maid, in fact everybody, gives a flamboyant performance in this famous comedy.

At The Playhouse, The Arts Centre until December 13. www.mtc.com.au

Madama Butterfly

In this Opera Australia production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, conductor Shao-Chia Lü makes sure that the searing and ominous themes associated with Cio-cio San’s fate come through as clearly as the love music. Even before the wedding of faithful teenaged geisha Cio-cio San (Nicole Youl) to faithless American sex tourist Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton (Rosario La Spina) is over, that theme is permanently embedded into our minds.

Youl’s performance is beautifully sung and deeply moving. The interpretation in this stylised production by Moffat Oxenbould is of a woman mature beyond her 15 years, facing her increasingly desperate situation with honour. Tears are reserved until the end, when her final illusion is shattered and Pinkerton’s new American wife (Sian Pendry) arrives to claim his and Cio-cio San’s child.

As Cio-cio San’s maid and companion, Suzuki, Sally-Anne Russell blends dramatically as well as vocally with Youl. The famous flower duet, beautifully sung by them and floated by the orchestra, becomes a brief respite in the unfolding tragedy.

The naturalism of Youl and Russell’s performances are sometimes at odds with the production, especially the masked and gowned ‘extras’ who move props on and offstage – including the hara-kiri knife, ostentatiously carrying it to reinforce its presence, despite its presence in the music being much more forceful.

Such reservations aside, it is the singing and acting of Youl and Russell, and the powerful presentation of the music, that make this often-revived opera so successful here.

State Theatre, The Arts Centre in repertoire with Verdi’s Otello and Handel’s Orlando until December 13.

www.opera-australia.org.au

Photos: Jeff Busby