'André De Shields is Tartuffe' Off-Broadway review — bright cast and unique staging entertainingly reinvent a classic comedy
Read our review of André De Shields is Tartuffe off Broadway, a new revival of Molière's classic play in the library of the historic House of the Redeemer.
Summary
- Tartuffe is a farce about a wealthy family whose patriarch is being deceived by a con man pretending to be a religious figure
- Broadway veterans André De Shields and Amber Iman lead the cast with standout performances
- Audiences praised the cast and the intimate experience of seeing the show in an old library
- Tartuffe is recommended for fans of the classic playwright Molière and fans of unique and semi-immersive theatre experiences
Fraud, con games, religious and moral hypocrisy. It’s not the news you’re reading, but you could say something is in the… Moli-air. After Red Bull Theater’s The Imaginary Invalid and Theater for a New Audience’s Prosperous Fools, 2025’s man of the moment isn’t a celebrity, politician, or do-gooder, but 17th-century French playwright and satirist Molière. There are even two Tartuffe productions this fall alone; Matthew Broderick will lead one at New York Theatre Workshop starting next month. But right now, Broadway veteran André De Shields stars as the fake-religious con man of the title at the House of the Redeemer, a historic nonprofit space once owned by the Vanderbilts and now a “place apart” for charitable causes.
There’s an anxiousness to the show, with the first two acts showing the family of Orgon (Chris Hahn) pointing out that he’s been bamboozled by this former drifter-turned-man of piety. Before we get a chance to even see Tartuffe in splendor, everyone emphasizes that the call is coming from inside the house. Orgon has let in a villain.
Staged in the mansion’s library (a real 17th-century room imported whole-cloth from Europe, the cast eagerly tells us), Tartuffe leans on the space's air of history. This production has a fairly relaxed tone, the cast bouncing to and fro throughout the play’s farce as if it were a fancy living room. It gives some of the show’s best moments — de Shields vigorously gesticulating to ward off accusations of fraud; Amber Iman, as Orgon's wife, Elmire, slapping someone’s hand away with her fan — an enjoyable immediacy.
However, using Ranjit Bolt’s English translation (written entirely in rhyming couplets as in Molière's French-language original), the cadence of the dialogue, the humor in the text, and the addition of other comic elements don't always cohere. Under Keaton Wooden’s direction, some performers get slapstick moments or exaggerated line deliveries, but not others, for no apparent reason. De Shields, Iman, and Hahn are most consistent about their roles and comic beats — bewitched, bothered, bewildered — and bring an absurdist urgency to the proceedings.
Tartuffe offers a fine evening at the theatre in an interesting setting, even as the neatness of staging it in an old library prevails over Molière's knife-sharp satire of the wealthy's attitudes toward religious salvation, personal responsibility, and big personalities. But de Shields beguiles, draped in cherry-red robes and giant cross, and you nearly become a believer.
André De Shields is Tartuffe summary
The wealthy patriarch Orgon has become transfixed and obsessed with Tartuffe, a former vagabond-turned-deeply religious family consultant. But everyone else at home knows Tartuffe is a hypocrite and merely pulling the wool over the eyes of Orgon for his own gain, and they try to make the patriarch see that by plotting some deception of their own.
What to expect at André De Shields is Tartuffe
Keaton Wooden has given this production of Tartuffe a whiff of audience immersion, with cast members greeting attendees in the first few moments of the show as everyone takes their seats. A pianist plays “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” an anachronistic touch that sets the library’s mood as one of a lavish house party.
What audiences are saying about André De Shields is Tartuffe
As of publication, André De Shields is Tartuffe has a 91% audience approval rating on Show-Score, with theatregoers praising the performances and the intimate, semi-immersive feel of the production in its unique setting.
- “The show, the actors, the space -- a total delight!!” - Show-Score user Deb L
- “It was a hilarious and captivating show. Also very amazing to feel like you were part of the show as it was in such a small and beautiful room and the actors oftentimes interacted with the audience. Very entertaining from start to finish!” - Show-Score user NS
- “Incredible work from the entire cast. Amber Iman and Phoebe Dunn turn in memorable performance[s], and hold their own with Andre de Shields who gives a hilarious and looming performance. The production is snappy, finds the laughs and emotion in every moment, and feels contemporary and relevant. The production design and costuming are gorgeous. It's a memorable night of theatre you won't forget.” - Show-Score user FranklinShepardInc
Read more audience reviews of André De Shields is Tartuffe on Show-Score.
Who should see André De Shields is Tartuffe
- Fans of Molière should definitely check out this production to see how the French playwright’s work continues to resonate with audiences today.
- Tartuffe’s intimate setting will be of interest to theatergoers who like a little immersive-ness to their theatre experiences, without worrying about running around and interacting with the performers throughout the whole show.
- Amber Iman’s performance — full of wit, verve, and allure — nearly steals the show, so her fans should see her.
Learn more about André De Shields is Tartuffe off Broadway
Though Tartuffe's tale of deception and manipulation doesn’t always come out clearly in this production, its novel staging and bright cast make it an entertaining experience.
Photo credit: André De Shields is Tartuffe off Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)
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