Matthew Broderick & David Cross to co-star off-Broadway in new TARTUFFE written by Lucas Hnath — Page 2

EmceeHammer said: "Tart-uff. This was a slog. It’s a good adaptation of a great play, the cast is game, but it suffers from a lack of direction and momentum. The pace is lackadaisical with unnecessary interstitial music and pointless scene change “choreography” killing the mood. This should have been faster and shorter. The flat lighting and amateurish set don’t do anything to enhance or distract from the tedium.

Matthew Broderick is surprisingly good, mostly because he’s making strong choices and giving his classic character a new interpretation. The acting is solid and thoughtfully restrained throughout. Bianca Del Rio brings some much needed energy in her brief appearances. Lisa Kron brings droll wit and Francis Jur brings heart and soul. David Cross… remembered his lines.

Overall this felt like elevated community theater. You appreciate the effort and chuckle politely, but can’t wait for it to end.My main takeaway is that the seats at NYTW are butt killers."


 

— “unnecessary interstitial music and pointless scene change “choreography” killing the mood”

 

I haven’t  seen the show but this reminds me of the Old Vic Oedipus (with Rami Malek) I saw in London  LOL

This was not a good night of theater lol

This is absolutely the worst thing I’ve ever seen at NYTW and one of the most boring pieces of theater in years. 
 

there is absolutely no directorial concept here to speak of. It’s as if there wasn’t a director at all. Tartuffe, with its broad comedy and rhyming couplets, screams out for a heightened and stylized sensibility. But here there is no choreography or timing to the comedy, no physical bits. The actors revue lines like they are reciting a children book or a bad poetry reading: everything has the same cadence and rhythm. Only Amber Gray and Bianca Del Rio are able to actually deliver the lines and make them sound like dialogue. David Cross is abysmal. Lisa Keon has what should be the scene stealing role (Andrea Martin would have been perfect and turned it into something. Special) but she has no idea how to execute comedy and is totally monotone. Bianca is a desperately needed source of energy and camp. Gary and Broderick do well with the table scene. Otherwise I was counting down the minutes until this was over. Also I had issues with Heaths adaptation in that he couldn’t land on a specific modern language style. Oh and The set is hideous. I hadn’t been this disappointed by a show in a long time. I was so looking forward to this based on the talent involved. 

Updated On: 12/21/25 at 10:41 PM