Tartuffe (Remixed) – Marylebone Theatre, London

Darren Raymond translates Molière’s theatrical classic to modern-day London and a Nigerian-Jamaican family in Tartuffe (Remixed).

Tartuffe (Remixed)

I’ve had the privilege of seeing Darren Raymond’s way with classics before. As Artistic Director of Intermission Youth Theatre, Raymond works with a cohort of underserved young people each year to transform and perform a work by Shakespeare, finding the relevance to their lives. At the Arcola Theatre in 2023 I saw this concept extended to alumni from the programme in Taming Who?, marking a 15 year milestone.

So reinterpreting classics of the stage is not new ground for Raymond. Tackling a classic of the French stage just might be, though. Tartuffe, ou l’Imposteur was first performed in 1664 at the Palace of Versailles for King Louis XIV. A comical farce in which a seemingly pious man turns out to be a hypocrite, the play got Molière into a bit of hot water. After initially enjoying the play, Louis XIV came under pressure to ban it. He cited the potential to confuse the public, but it was actually more about Catholic lobbying. As a result Molière reworked his play several times, and the original version doesn’t survive.

That has not stopped Tartuffe from becoming a classic, still performed today. I don’t think it’s ever looked quite like this, though. In Tartuffe (Remixed), Raymond brings much of the original plot and themes up to date, in a contemporary Nigerian-Jamaican household in London. The play opens with the Bride Price ceremony for the upcoming wedding of Adanna (Sara Mokonen) and Sinclair (Ivandro Da Cruz Leite). The seeds of discord are sown when Adanna’s father Oga (Isufu Jalloh) invites Pastor Blake (Mark Rylance) into their home. In no time at all he has half the family on guard against him, and the other half ready to canonise him as a living saint.

A Great Ensemble Performance

The possibilities introduced by this new setting are very rich. By transforming the Tartuffe figure into a white pastor in a Nigerian-Jamaican family, Raymond casts over proceedings the shadows of colonialism and its divide and rule approach of pitting African and Caribbean communities against each other. Although the play itself sticks with the tradition of comedic farce, these themes are handled with subtlety.

But the rest, as I say, is farce. I’ve seen some reviews talking about Rylance’s performance and whether it goes too far. For my money, Rylance knows exactly how to play to an audience. His gurning and fourth wall breaks have the audience in stitches. This is very much an ensemble cast, though, with strong performances throughout. Raymond retains the structure of side plots and minor characters to add depth, with each of the actors having fun with their roles. Tartuffe is particularly pleasing in terms of classical theatre for having strong and intelligent female characters, which certainly translates here.

I can’t finish the review without talking a little about the stunning design. It’s well worth getting the programme to read about how ULTZ (Designer), Maybelle Laye (Associate Costume Designer) and Shola Ajayi (a British-Nigerian Fashion Designer) collaborated on realising the traditional Nigerian wedding clothing. These rich fabrics and matching or contrasting colours (depending on the ceremony) bring this family to life and look incredible on stage. ULTZ’s set design is then the perfect backdrop, with even a nod to traditional French tastes in furniture.

I’ve seen a really interesting variety of productions at the Marylebone Theatre since it opened in 2022. This is definitely a highlight, and well worth going to see if you can get your hands on tickets.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 4/5

Tartuffe (Remixed) on until 24 October 2026. More info and tickets here.