Tartuffe, the Imposter

John Donnelly is a past winner of the Tom Erhardt Award, the PMA Award for Best New Writer and the NSDF Sunday Times Playwriting Award. His plays include The Pass (Royal Court), a version of The Seagull (Headlong/UK Tour), Little Russians (Tricycle Theatre/ First Blast: Proliferation Season), The Knowledge (Bush Theatre), Encourage the Others (Almeida Projects), Songs of Grace and Redemption (Liminal Theatre/Theatre 503), Showtime (LAMDA), Conversation #1 (The Factory/V&A/Latitude Festival) and Bone (Royal Court Theatre). John's work for television includes the short film Henry (Channel 4's Coming Up, 2013) and two episodes of Utopia (co-writer; Kudos/Channel4) and an episode of Glue (Channel 4/Eleven Films), both 2014. Most recently, he adapted his stage play The Pass for screen, produced by Duncan Kenworthy/Toledo Productions and starring Russell Tovey. The Pass was chosen to open the BFI Flare Festival before returning to BFI London Film Festival; it was the opening night film for NewFest and closed Twist: Seattle Queer Film Festival, all 2016. Molière (1622-73) was born Jean Poquelin, the son of a prosperous upholsterer of Paris. His father was attached to the service of the King and Molière was intended to succeed him. However, in 1643 he changed his surname and joined a family of actors, the Béjarts. Encouraged by their touring success the group returned to Paris and performed in front of Louis XIV and his Court. The success of Molière's farce Le Docteur Amoureux gave the group the opportunity to share a theatre at the Petit- Bourbon with an Italian company, and here Molière's reputation was established. His other plays include L'Ecole des Femmes (1662), Don Juan (1665), Tartuffe (written 1664, produced 1667), Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (1671), Les Femmes Savantes (1673) and Le Malade Imaginaire (1673).