Tartuffe Off-Broadway review: elegant satire played at centre court
"Hnath’s Tartuffe feels modern, sharp, and confidently observed," says reviewer Kyle Torrence
A new Off-Broadway adaptation of Molière’s Tartuffe, written by Lucas Hnath and directed by Sarah Benson, has opened to audiences in New York.
The world-premiere production starring The Lion King voice actor Matthew Broderick and RuPaul’s Drag Race star Bianca del Rio opened to the public 16 December and will continue through 24 January 2026.
Blending classic satire with contemporary themes, the revival explores power, faith and deception through a modern theatrical lens, following Broderick as the manipulative religious hypocrite and Rio appearing as Madame Pernelle.
This world premiere adaptation of Molière’s Tartuffe by Lucas Hnath, directed by Sarah Benson and choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly, proves immediately compelling, with Bianca del Rio’s opening moments locking the audience in from the start.
In a time when people are taking health advice from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and convincing themselves that Donald Trump upholds Christian values, Tartuffe has rarely felt more relevant. Orgon, gripped by fear of ageing and largely uninterested in religion, becomes obsessed after witnessing Tartuffe deliver a sermon from the audience at church. From that moment forward, he follows Tartuffe blindly, surrendering reason, agency and common sense.
“Every choice is controlled and intentional”– Kyle Torrence on the Tartuffe Off-Broadway production
Matthew Broderick’s Tartuffe is executed with meticulous precision. Every choice is controlled and intentional, and you can feel a seasoned star shaping the room. His performance walks a perfect tightrope between charm and menace, making it chillingly plausible that everyone around him could fall fully under his influence.
Orgon disregards his wife Elmire, beautifully played by Amber Gray, who embodies the familiar truth that the wife is often the real intelligence of the household, along with his children: Damis, played by Ryan J. Haddad, who has far too much to say, and Mariane, played by Emily Davis, who would prefer to say nothing at all. Davis’s facial gymnastics alone are worth the price of admission. Even as Orgon is repeatedly confronted by his sharp-tongued maid Dorine, played by Lisa Kron, the truth refuses to land. The role itself is written exquisitely. Dorine’s observations are smart, pointed, and perennially relevant, but Kron’s performance occasionally feels delivered at half voltage. The text does much of the work, yet I longed for her to raise the energy several notches and fully inhabit the ferocity the role invites. That sense of disengagement is underscored by a distracting costume choice. While the rest of the cast wears period footwear, Dorine’s modern sneakers feel unnecessarily casual and visually out of step with the world of the play.
“remarkable technical control and intelligence” – Torrence on Ikechukwu Ufomadu in Tartuffe
Ikechukwu Ufomadu is a standout as Valère. In the final moments of the evening, he reveals thrilling comic versatility, seamlessly juggling multiple roles with razor-sharp timing and precision. His rapid-fire transformations and the final costume reveal land as a perfectly calibrated theatrical punchline, earning some of the night’s biggest laughs while showcasing remarkable technical control and intelligence.
Bianca del Rio’s return as Mme. Pernelle is polished, confident, and genuinely wonderful. The language pours effortlessly from her, and she is exquisitely suited to Molière’s rhythm and bite. She commands the stage with ease, reminding us why her presence alone can define the tone of an entire evening.
“Modern, sharp and confidently observed” – Torrence on the overall Off-Broadway performance
The music and final song arrive as a joyful surprise, and Raja Feather Kelly’s choreography does essential storytelling work throughout. The recurring game of tennis becomes a smart visual metaphor, with power volleyed back and forth, while the crown positioned at centre stage cleverly suggests royalty casually playing with its subjects. It is elegant, readable symbolism that deepens the satire without overwhelming it.
Overall, Hnath’s Tartuffe feels modern, sharp and confidently observed. Anchored by Broderick and bolstered by a cast that largely shines, this adaptation honours Molière’s bite while speaking directly, and uncomfortably, to the present moment.
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