Darren Raymond has kept the spirit of Molière in this tight adaptation – the rhyming couplets are delightful, it’s funny, and there are many nods to Shakespeare too. He’s taken this classic (and in its time, quite daring) play and revamped it: two families both alike in dignity but not in religious fervour.
We are launched into the play with the bride price ceremony, setting off a week of celebrations for the wedding of Adanna (Sara Mokonen) to Sinclair (Ivandro Da Cruz Leite).
Here we are introduced to the two families: the bride’s Nigerian family, led by her devout father, Oga (a wonderful Usifu Jalloh), and the groom’s Jamaican family, who are a lot more relaxed about their faith. This disparity sets up the gap where Pastor Blake slides in to pursue his con: to separate Oga from his wealth and wife.
Pastor Blake (a hilarious Mark Rylance) enters to laughter. Rylance is a clown and brings that physical comedy to Blake through his comb-over, tightly clutched Bible, and horse teeth. His exaggerated piety makes him a little ridiculous, which makes us seriously question Oga’s faith in him. If you’re unfamiliar with the original play, you might think of Blake as a buffoon: mild, meek, and completely unthreatening.
But Blake is insidious. He manipulates Oga into calling off the wedding and betrothing Adanna to him instead. He gaslights Oga’s wife, Elmire, and son, D-Miz, when caught with his pants down trying to seduce Elmire, and cons Grandma out of her fortune in a dizzying and uncomfortable scene.
The cast is terrific and dynamic, their playfulness on stage infectious. There are many times when they are difficult to hear, and yet I found myself laughing along because the physical storytelling was so clear. I particularly enjoyed Morenike Onajobi’s sassy Kemi and Suzette Llewellyn’s painfully naive Grandma.
The set is clunky and impersonal. With its muted blush, extra-large armchairs, and bench, it looks more like a hotel wedding venue than a home. The staging reflects this: it’s awkward in places and necessitates long scene changes that distract and slow the pace.
The costumes are bold and colourful and show the divide between the two families. Take the two fathers, for example: Oga wears a traditional Nigerian kaftan, while Delroy wears a casual T-shirt and shorts.
The production’s awkward staging and audibility problems sometimes get in the way, but there’s plenty to enjoy in Raymond’s playful adaptation. Rylance is hilarious, and the energy of this terrific cast keeps the comedy alive even when the pace falters.
It’s worth mentioning that Darren Raymond is a co-founder of Intermission Youth, a charity that uses drama to change lives for underserved young people. Since 2008, they have worked with over 8,000 young people to improve their mental health, social skills, and life outcomes.
Several cast members (Sara Mokonen, Christopher Mbaki, and Morenike Onajobi) are graduates of this programme, and Mbaki and Onajobi are both making their professional debuts. I expect they will have long, colourful careers in the theatre, and I look forward to another Molière remix from Raymond.
I’m hoping for The Learned Ladies. How about it, Darren?
Tartuffe (Remixed) is playing at the Marylebone Theatre until 24 October 2026.
Book your tickets at marylebonetheatre.com
Words by Rachel Fowler
Photography by Mark Senior
