Shakespeare in the Grove
21 Jun |
When: Wednesday June 21st, 8 p.m. Where: Grove Stage Address: 1428 Cedar Rd, Chesapeake, VA Description: Tidewater Community College and the Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission present Tartuffe. Written by Jean-Baptiste Moliere and translated by Richard Wilbur. The story takes place in the home of the wealthy Orgon, where Tartuffe—a fraud and a pious imposter—has insinuated himself. He succeeds magnificently in winning the respect and devotion of the head of the house, and then tries to marry his daughter and seduce his wife and scrounge the deed to the property. He nearly gets away with it, but an emissary from King Louis XIV arrives in time to recover the property, free Monsieur Orgon, and haul Tartuffe off to jail. And so his duplicity is finally exposed and punished. But not before the author has mercilessly examined the evil that men can commit in the guise of religious fervor and the dangers that imperil those who would believe only what they choose to believe despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary. To enjoy your evening, feel free to bring a blanket or lawn chair, bug spray and a picnic basket. The Kiwanis of Chesapeake will be there to sell food and drink as well. |