How Would You Want Your Audience to Respond to Elmire? Explain How You Would Perform the Role in Two or Three Sections of the Play in Order to Achieve Your Aims.

‘Tartuffe' by Moliere was first written in the seventeenth century. It is a comedy which has heavy elements of the commedia dell'arte style as the characters and their speech is very exaggerated. I believe Elmire is one of the less exaggerated characters and I would want my audience to respond to her character as a reasonable woman who's logical thinking would enhance the exaggeration of the other characters.

Firstly, Elmire is Orgon's wife who does not really warm to Tartuffe as Orgon does. In Act three, Scene three Tartuffe tries to ‘get it on' with Elmire, and as a married woman Elmire does not feel the same way. Elmire's lines are short which indicate her reasonable character, however, as the play is influenced by the commedia dell'arte style, I would incorporate some elements of the stock characters. In this scene, I would speak my first lines in a slightly loud volume but not in an exaggerated manner to provoke an audience response which would make the other characters look far more exaggerated. When indicating a chair I would use arm gestures by pointing to a chair and I would also stand slightly away from Tartuffe to indicate how Elmire does not like him. I would also use a relaxed posture to highlight the normality of my character compared to the others. However, I would change this as Tartuffe begins to come on to her. For example, when he squeezes Elmire's fingers I would quickly snatch my hand away and say "Ouch" in a loud high pitched tone. This would indicate how Elmire does not like Tartuffe in this way. Also, when he puts his hand on her knee I would use facial expression to highlight her disapproval. I would have my mouth slightly open in a disgusted manor with surprised eye movement focussing back and forward from Tartuffe's hand to his face. I would also add in a long pause to create comedic effect before asking; "What's that doing there?" in an enquiring tone with uncomfortable facial expressions. Also, when moving my chair away, as I would like my audience to respond to Elmire as a more normal character I would move my chair away in a polite manner and have wide surprised and uncomfortable eyes whilst smiling as he moves his chair closer again. Also, as he fiddles with my shawl I would quickly snatch it away, again highlighting how uncomfortable she finds this situation and ask "Can we get to the point?" extremely quickly. I would also emphasize the word "…husband..." by leaning my head slightly forward to the audience, which