Promotional material for Le Tartuffe Photo: Courtesy of Zhao Pingping

Le Tartuffe, the representative comedy by French playwright Jean Baptiste Poquelin, who is widely known as Molière, has been reproduced by Lithuanian theater director Oskaras Korsunovas and is to premiere at Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center from July 3 to 5. 

Le Tartuffe depicts a classical hypocrite figure Tartuffe who appeared to be a pious catholic and earned rich businessman Orgon's trust by being his guest and counselor. But actually Tartuff is trying to seduce Orgon's wife and take over his fortunes. In the end, Tarfuff's true face was revealed and he was put into prison because he was guilty. Since the play kicked off on stage in 1664, it has been reproduced a number of times around the world and adapted for screen, television and radio as well.        

Korsunovas is a veteran and award-winning theater director who began to earn fame in early 1990s when he was a student and founded Oskaras Koršunovas Theatre (OKT) in 1998 and was later known as Vilniaus Miesto Teatras. The director said he didn't follow all the elements in the classical writer's work when he directed this comedy and created surprises by interpreting the play in a new way. For example, the green maze stage design is a highlight of the show; it was inspired by the gardens in Château de Versailles and represents the chaotic mind of Tartuff.

Korsunovas' Le Tartuffe has been invited to have a tour of China by the 2019 Lin Zhaohua Theatre Art Festival and was to be presented by actors and actresses from Lithuanian National Drama Theatres. After Beijing's Performances, it will also greet audiences in Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Shanghai and Xiamen, in that order.