Tartuffe by Molière. An NTC performance version by Stewart Howson
This production of Tartuffe will be touring to over 40 rural communities across the UK in the coming months and needs your support to get there.
Tartuffe is an hilarious and outrageous classic. Tartuffe, a roguish imposter, worms his way into the orderly household of prosperous yet naive merchant Orgon. He sets out to marry the daughter, seduce the wife, imprison Orgon and get his hands on the family fortune.
Cue disguises, thwarted lovers, eavesdropping and the famous ‘under the table scene’, one of the funniest comic set pieces ever written for the stage. Tartuffe is performed in a style with one foot in Commedia del’Arte and the other in ‘Carry On’ yet with a relevance that will delight modern-day audiences.
Moliere was an actor-writer producing new shows for his company of actors to stage almost instantly and bring in audiences, - whilst also having something to say about the society in which he lived. He had too much to say according to some people's tastes, and the original ‘Tartuffe’ was banned twice!
Like NTC, Moliere's company had a very definite regional identity and house style. They were very much influenced by the Italian physical Commedia Dell’ Arte Theatre. They were vibrant, new and not tied to conventions of tragic theatre that inhibited some of their contemporaries. The adapter of NTC’s version has captured that feel in his version of the text.
Northumberland Theatre Company (NTC) is a professional small-scale touring theatre company based at Alnwick Playhouse in Northumberland. Established over 30 years ago, the company prides itself on ‘Making Theatre Accessible’ to all. Touring productions around the country, predominantly using village halls and community centres as venues in small rural towns and villages.
NTC tours its high quality productions, including the cast and crew, in one small truck - taking theatre to the people and making art accessible to all. By touring to rural areas NTC keeps audience travel costs to an absolute minimum which in addition helps the environment and improves community cohesion.
Any support you can offer will help us to tour this amazing production! Please see our pledges to see how you can benefit from supporting NTC.
“Touring theatre helps to build and enrich village life. It should always be supported by the community” Audience comment, 2011.
“This was a great night out and we were well entertained. A large part of the praise must go to Stewart Howson for his brilliant adaptation of a 17th century French comedy” Northumberland Gazette review, Sept 2011.
“You could quite easily travel to London and spend a small fortune on the best seats at a West End theatre and not top this outstanding evening of theatre. The acting was superlative” Alan Crossman Plumley Village Hall
Directed by Gillian Hambleton, Designed by Michelle Huitson
Lighting Design/Production Manager/Video by Ben Steppenbeck
www.northumberlandtheatre.co.uk
Venue Listings
02/03-Sep Alnwick Playhouse Studio Theatre
06-Sep Stratcathro Hall, Inchbare, Angus
07-Sep Tullynessle & Forbes Hall, Alford, Aberdeenshire
08-Sep Woodend Barn, Banchory, Aberdeenshire
09-Sep New Deer Public Hall, New Deer, Aberdeenshire
10-Sep Deskford Community Centre, Nr Cullen, Aberdeenshire
12-Sep Lyth Arts Centre, Wick
14-Sep The Crypt, Middlesbrough Town Hall
15-Sep Chatton Village Hall, Northumberland
16-Sep Customs House, South Shields
17-Sep Glanton Village Hall, Northumberland
20-Sep Arts Centre Washington, Tyne & Wear
21-Sep Styrrup Village Hall,Doncaster
22-Sep Eastwood School Theatre, Eastwood, Notts
23-Sep Grange Hall, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Notts
24-Sep Coronation Hall, Woodhall Spa, Lincs
25-Sep Broadbent Theatre, Wickenby, Lincs
27-Sep Pocklington Arts Centre, N Yorks
28-Sep Buxton Opera House, Derbyshire
29-Sep Robinson Institute, Glaisdale, E. Yorks
30-Sep Dixie Grammar School Hall, Market Bosworth, Leics
01-Oct Jubilee Hall, Anstey, Leics
12-Oct The Wynd Theatre, Melrose
13-Oct Wall Village Hall, Northumberland
14-Oct Newton & Bywell Community Hall, Northumberland
15-Oct Hamsterley Village Hall, Co Durham
16-Oct Ivegill Village Hall, Carlisle, Cumbria
18-Oct Seaton Deleval Hall, North Tyneside
19-Oct Kirkgate Centre, Cockermouth
20-Oct Etal VH, Northumberland
21-Oct Lamplight Arts Centre, Stanley, Co Durham
22-Oct Dent Village Hall, Cumbria
25-Oct Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth, Northumberland
26-Oct Kirkwhelpington Village Hall, Northumberland
27-Oct The Maltings Theatre, Berwick-upon-Tweed, N'land
28-Oct Town Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland
29-Oct Longhirst Village Hall, Northumberland
01-Nov Westruther Village Hall, Berwickshire
02-Nov Currie Memorial Hall, Lilliesleaf, Melrose
03-Nov Theatre Royal, Dumfries
04-Nov Bowhill Little Theatre, Selkirk
05-Nov Longformacus Village Hall, Borders
