Tartuffe, National Theatre

Molière's much-loved morality comedy is re-imagined at the National Theatre. Visionary director Blanche McIntyre, who specialises in searingly fresh Shakespeare and bold new writing, makes her NT debut to bring Tartuffe to the Lyttelton stage.

The 17th century French satire about a man who has everything yet still seeks something to believe in is a main stay of European theatre, with regular revivals and plenty of parallels with contemporary culture. It was recently most brought into the 21st century in an underwhelming West End production with a mish mash of English and French and a strong sense of Trump era America.

This National Theatre production will also be a new take on Molière's text. John Donnelly interprets the tales for a new English language version of Tartuffe that we are promised is 'ferocious'.

The play follows rich, powerful Orgon. Despite having the freedom, luxury and love that should bring happiness, he is dogged by a sense of pointlessness. So when a charismatic stranger called Tartuffe turns up offering a sting of seductive lies, the perfect household falls into disarray. With plenty of razor-sharp home truths and witty depictions of human frailty, the comedy is set to resonate with 2019 audiences in this largescale revival.

Public booking for Tartuffe at the National Theatre opens from 8:30am on Friday 9 November