Director Oskaras Koršunovas: “Tartuffe is the “hero” of modern times.” A perfect immoral conformist, social climber and pragmatist who will go to any length to achieve his goals. Of course, in the new play, he is not pretending to be a holy roller. Quite the contrary, he is a great expert of public relations, well aware that there is no better tool for hoodwinking gullible fools than morality, which he cynically manipulates. To him, hypocrisy and lies are nothing but image making tools and his ability to get rich at the expense of others to him are nothing but proofs of his strength and superiority over others. The Tartuffes of this world always profess the relevant “religion.” In Molière’s times, they focused on the Church, in Soviet times – on the Communist party, and now they are following the Mammon: in the banks, politics, and so on. They have always been ideologically correct and able to hide their worst deeds behind the most beautiful words. The global financial crisis is nothing but a consequence of tartuffeisme. This comedy is particularly relevant in today’s Lithuania, where tartuffeisme is on the up. 

In the new production, I do not intend to comply with the classicist unities: there will be textual as well as effectual surprises. Molière himself dictated interesting staging conditions. The author is sharp and shrewd. No play in the world has caused such a big scandal as Tartuffe. It was the first drama to become an international event, one that put one of the largest states in conflict with one of the most influential powers – the Vatican. In Lithuania, I see tartuffeism not in the Church, but among modern bureaucrats, in politics, in business, where many people speak fine phrases only to cover up corruption. How easily and cynically are people being manipulated through propaganda! You will see all that in the play. Unfortunately, the next generation is no better. It is simply better prepared for the manipulation, which revealed itself particularly well during the scandal in Lithuania’s Liberal Party. The Liberals had promised to crush corruption, but they only offered us the greatest corruption pie we have ever seen, and we are still eating it.”