Chicago Tribune
- Recommended
"...As long as there has been moral piety there have been false adherents to it, and in the end Moliere's play is so satisfying because Tartuffe's fraudulence is rightfully exposed and punished — even if karma isn't always so swift or decisive in reality."
Chicago Sun Times
- Recommended
"...Bolt's take on "Tartuffe"... injects this most appropriately topical of Moliere's satirical comedies with added zing. Yet all this banter and rhyme, despite its ebullient delivery, can sometimes grow more tiring than laugh-inducing."
Daily Herald
- Highly Recommended
"...You’ve never seen “Tartuffe” like this. Remy Bumppo’s revival leaves audiences laughing, delighted by Moliere’s wit and expert comic acting. For this sly and spirited production, also credit James Bohnen’s inspired direction. This colloquial translation by Ranjit Bolt (an American premiere, don’t you know it), infuses Moliere’s tome with a pop culture jolt."
SouthtownStar
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Although Remy Bumppo's ensemble, under the able direction of James Bohnen, comes through with fine performances, this new adaptation is not an improvement on Moliere's original or on Richard Wilbur's faithful adaptation of the play. Indeed, it pulls the whole work down."
Chicago Reader
- Highly Recommended
"...Bolt's translation is a sturdy, snappy, savvy one. Director James Bohnen maintains the brisk pace and slippery lightness needed to prevent the play from decaying into a mordant rant. And the cast strikes a wonderful balance between the artifice of the rhyming couplets and convincing contemporary deliveries."
Windy City Times
- Recommended
"...There’s no mistaking this Remy Bumppo production for a dry academic exercise, however. Tim Morrison’s roomy set design allows for copious physical comedy, as well as verbal subtleties, even in the briefest of appearances ( Tony Casale’s poker-faced Fed, for example ) . Encore un coup!"
Time Out Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...While the trend of updating texts like this one for modern audiences to spark interest in theater is starting to feel like a fashion challenge on Project Runway, this smart effort truly works."
ChicagoCritic
- Recommended
"...Remy Bumppo’s intelligent and, at times, leaning toward camp production enlivens Moliere’s satire about a society too prone to the dangers of religious sanctimony. With pokes at the current American religious right, this 21st Century production carries its message loud and clear with many laughs along the way. This is a fun show that works on many levels."
