ways to create comedy through direction of interaction of Tartuffe and Elmire

ways to create comedy through direction of interaction of Tartuffe and Elmire

1. Introduction (to be woven in)

   • Naturalistic style
     • Aspects of Commedia del'arte
       • Tartuffe: Pantalone
         • walks with his hips forward, allowing him to make larger strides when he walks
           • Wide third position
         • arms widely outspread allowing his cloak to fly out behind him
   • Proscenium arch stage
   • Genre: comedy of manners
   • Period: 17th Century

2. Elmire

   • Purple gown with tight corset exemplifying bust for Tartuffe to look at
   • Stands with straight back, shoulders back - confident

3. Act 3, Scene 3 - Tartuffe’s first exchanges with Elmire as she attempts to dissuade him from marrying Mariane

   • "May God in His infinite goodness preserve you in body and soul..."
     • Look at her up and down. Open mouth at first and wide eyes.
       • Shocked at Elmire's beauty - the way he goes into trance like state amuses audience
   • "Shall we make ourselves more comfortable?" - E
     • Tartuffe's reaction to create comedy - see's it as an advance
       • Excited facial expressions - raising eyebrows, jump in step and non verbal noise of excitement and quickly skips in step to sit down.
         • Once Tartuffe sits down, Elmire moves to opposite side of chaise longue (fitting with period). Tartuffe will then move closer right next to Elmire. She will then uncomfortably move back
   • the material of Elmire’s dress
     • Tartuffe shall slowly put his hand on Elmire's leg, staring at it whilst saying "It's my deep interest in..."
       • "What's that doing there?" looks down, clocks the audience in disgust and looks down again
         • in a slow, high pitched voice - show uncomfortableness creating comedy for audience

4. Elmire’s trap to expose Tartuffe

   • Tartuffe;s desire for proof of her feelings
     • After his concern of Elmire's sudden change of mind, Elmire tries to reassure him
       • Nervously aughs to appear to be confident when obviously not
         • Slowly say start of sentence to enable "thinking time" for excuse, then when get an idea quickly say like she knew all along. Creates comedy because audience know she didn't.
   • "There are... private things I wanted to say..."
     • Walks up slowly, leading with chest. Walks fingers up his chest
     • When Tartuffe closes the door, Elmire should clock the audience showing a face of disgust and shake her body down
       • Notices Tartuffe is looking and switches emotions.. stutters first word of sentence in panic
   • Elmire coughs to get Orgon's attention. Tartuffe says its a bad cough. Mariane will say, "My cold is very stubborn. All the liquorice in the world won't shift it." putting emphasis by raising voice on "stubborn and raising pitch on "world" to show annoyance. Reffering to her husband as stubborn and that all the evidence in the world doesn't seem to help. This creates comedy for the audience when Tartuffe unawaringly say's it's a shame and in an aggressive tone, Elmire should say "Indeed" whilst looked at the table in anger.