Tartuffe is a daring and outrageous conman, turning a once peaceful household upside down by passing himself off as a pious priest, tricking his way into the heart of the affluent but gullible merchant, Orgon, driving away his son, trying to seduce his wife, seeking marriage to his daughter and contriving to hoodwink him out of his fortune and property.

Strong comic performances abounded from Rachel Carter (Orgon’s daughter), Gareth Billington (her fiancé), Ben Lister (the odious, lecherous antihero), Graeme Clements (Orgon) and Becky James (his wife), while Julia Wilkes was magnificent as the outspoken maid, Dorine. French accents were avoided, to the director’s credit, as the themes and appeal of Molière’s plays remain universal.

Tartuffe – Titchfield Festival Theatre The Barn, Brook Lane, Warsash.

Anne Waggott