Kathmandu As the curtain rises, the sets designed at the Shilpee Theatre, Battisputali appeal to the audience giving a feel of a sophisticated house with brilliant interior design — staircases on each side of a hall, a frame and a mounted animal head on the wall, table, bookcase with medals and cups in it. As the play Tartuffe aka Jhalendra Prasad ko Leela unravels, the panoramic view of temples and the city seen from the window give a wow feeling. The setting is not only interesting but the play too makes the audience laugh with the acting and fun-filled dialogue delivery of the actors. Satirising the hypocrisy of sages, the play tries to reflect how people have been falling prey on their hands. Without making fun of religion practised, the play tries to make fun of those who manipulate religion with an aim to get what they want. Jhalendra Prasad (Ghimire Yubaraj) is a pious fraud. He pretends to be religious and speaks with divine authority. Khagendra (Jeevan Baral) and his mother Parvati (Kabita Ale) are beguiled by the saint and they do not take any action without consulting him. However, Khagendra’s wife Ambika (Pabitra Khadka), son Dilip (Sonam Lama), their maid Dimple (Sarita Shah) along with other family members feel that the sage is not a man of such holiness and zeal. He who pretends to have given up all physical desires and material possessions is double-faced in nature. In addition, he is sexually attracted towards Ambika. He too plans to get the house and property of Khagendra. Hypnotised by Jhalendra, Khagendra is even ready to give his daughter Mira (Sandhya Bhattarai) in marriage to the sage. Ambika tries hard to free her husband from Jhalendra’s spell but all her efforts go in vain. The play trying to highlight the hypocrisy of our so-called saints, who pretend to give up their material desires and sexual obsession, makes the audience laugh out loud. Shah, who plays the role of the maid, steals the show with her brilliant acting skill and fluent dialogue delivery. The maid kissing Kalyan (Badal Bhatta), trying to arouse Jhalendra with her passionate moves and the sage being unable to control his desires makes one laugh. Baral, changing clothes, putting on ashes on his body, wearing rudraksha and becoming a saint, adds humour to the play. Yubaraj is brilliant in his hypocritical character, dressed like a saint, blowing a conch shell and looking with lust at the maid and Ambika is praiseworthy. The sage being sexually attracted, performing sensual moves and not being able to control his sexual drive will make the audience laugh at his moves and eye expressions. Khadka, trying hard to protect herself from Jhalendra, is best in her role. Shah and Lama hiding and climbing on the stairs to eavesdrop will make one laugh. Tartuffe, a French drama by Molière, translated into Nepali by Megha Raj Adhikari has the perfect Nepali feeling. However, a happy ending in the original play, the Nepali translation has made improvisation in it. The use of lights along with the characters’ role and movement in the corridor is perfectly used. Had the story been a little quick in its narration in the first few scenes, then it would have been more interesting. All said and done, the play is comical, satirical and fun to watch. The play is being staged till December 5 everyday at 4:30 pm except on Tuesdays.