By John Lyle Belden

With recent seasons seeing a lot of Shakespeare, Greek classics, etc., it is fitting that a work of the celebrated French playwright Moliere makes an appearance on a local stage.

4^th Wall Players presents the 1664 comedy “Tartuffe” at the Stage Door Theater in Irvington. In Moliere’s most controversial work, the title character is a blatant hypocrite and swindler, presenting himself as a devout man of God. The comic absurdity – which doesn’t seem so silly when you relate it to more recent public figures – is that those closest to the man are completely taken in by his fraudulent charms.

Household matriarch Madame Pernelle (Sarah Kinsey) is absolutely besotted with the “Holy Man” and sharply chides anyone who expresses an opinion contrary to hers, even if a person hasn’t had a moment to speak it. Her son, Orgon (Daniel Clymer), practically worships Tartuffe (Kelly McKinney), calling him “Brother,” while Orgon’s young wife Elmire (Sabrina Duprey) is more suspicious.  Orgon’s hot-headed son Damis (Alan Keith) can’t stand the man, while fair daughter Mariane (Caroline Frawley) is more concerned with her upcoming marriage to beau Valere (Ryan James Moskalick).  But now, Orgon promises Mariane’s hand to Tartuffe! And that’s not all the old fool pledges.

Meanwhile, household maid Dorine (Alyssa Lay) will not hold her tongue as she sees through the con man from the start and desperately tries to set things right. The cast also includes Omar Jurdi as Elmire’s brother, Cleante; Alex Paddock as Tartuffe’s servant, and later as the Bailiff, M. Loyal; and Justice Nielsen as Mme. Pernelle’s servant Flipote, and later as an Officer of the Court.

The play is directed by 4^th Wall co-founder Josh Gibson, whose stated focus is on how devotion, especially to a charismatic person, “can and does rip otherwise happy families apart.” We definitely get a household in turmoil, like a bizarre family sitcom in search of the traditional happy-ending wedding.

We also get a tour de force performance from Lay, whose character speaks frankly from her humble station, enhancing the comic moments while making her a necessary voice of reason amongst the chaos. Also impressive is Duprey in Elmire’s desperate efforts to awaken poor Orgon to his folly, including a hilarious faux seduction of the title character. Speaking of Tartuffe, McKinney comes off appropriately slippery with “humility” lathered on so thick it’s simultaneously easy to see how some would fall for it, while wondering how a rational being ever could.

A fun look at an old story with a bit of current relevance, “Tartuffe” has one more weekend, July 19-21, at 5635 Bonna Ave., Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at 4thwallplayers.org.