stage matters / By William Kowinski

Another festival, another show — Collective joy at Dell’Arte’s Mad River Fest

But important for the summer festival audience, there’s a villain to boo, a damsel in distress (sort of), lovers to be separated and brought back together, some sharp social wit (an errant daughter is warned to wear her wig because, “no wig, no ruling class”), and the obligatory local references and political swipes (inserted a little more awkwardly than usual, though). As well as music, chastely stripping nuns, chases, a little juggling, an adorable little monkey, the obligatory stilt walker and a human pyramid (sort of) at the end. Also crucial to the outdoor setting: Every voice is strong and expressive, every word enunciated through the open air clear back to the dark green chairs and weathered picnic table.

The villain of the play is Tartuffe, the apparently pious, secretly lecherous and greedy hypocrite. Though he is absent from the first act, everyone talks about him. Orgon is convinced of his virtue, and is prepared to cancel the wedding of Valere to his daughter Mariane (Jacqueline Dandeneau, who plays her as winsome and dim). Orgon says he will assign her to Tartuffe instead, and signs over his fortune to him in the bargain.

As Tartuffe, Michael Fields effects his second act entrance at twilight, in a sedan chair surrounded by a shower curtain of silver spangles. He makes up for lost time with the spirited and experienced economy of his actions and characterization. That Adrian Mejia is the youngest member of the company playing the old man Orgon is more than ironic — he uses his physical suppleness to delightfully express the conventions of age. Even though he is not the title character, Orgon is the real star of the show — established by the fact that it is the part Moliere himself originally played.

As Elmire, Orgon’s young wife, Deborah Taylor Barrera is the lone non-Dell’Artisan; she brings her fresh beauty, stage skills and presence, and gets into the antic festival mood. When Elmire hides Orgon under a table to witness Tartuffe trying to seduce her upon it, the trio of Fields, Mejia and Barrera play the scene with the physical and verbal dexterity that is the Dell’Arte style at its highest hilarity.

In the end there is scant virtue to reward but it’s a happy enough conclusion, and peacefully smiling parents carry away blanketloads of sleepy children, old friends chat about festivals past, and there is music, foolery and naughtiness more to come (the adults-only late night cabaret, Red Light in Blue Lake, is next, on June 30).

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