Galen "Strop" Haecky

Queer comic artist and illustrator based in the PNW. I enjoy stories about magic, monsters, and horrible women in questionable relationships.

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Game dev logs, medical history, and one (1) dramaturgy assignment. Ceci n'est pas une blog.

November 8, 2025

The only thing a man loves more than his wife is the religious charlatan he's invited into his home.

Western Washington University's production of Tartuffe is colorful, snappy, and more than a little homoerotic—what more could you ask for from a 400-year-old French comedy?Banned shortly after its original performance in 1664 due to perceived criticisms of the Church, Moliere's Tartuffe is a satirical criticism of false piety, social convention, and the stubbornness of Your Dad.¹ After the pious Orgon invites the titular religious conman into his home, the rest of the family struggle to oust Tartuffe as their lives are thrown into chaos.² Tartuffe is free to eat their food, interfere with wedding engagements, and share long, intimate moments of physical contact with the family patriarch. (That last detail was likely never Moliere's intent, but what's the point of living in the 21st century if you don't get a little gay with it?)No bones about it: it's a fun show! I like when a historical piece lets its female characters be the most commanding and competent people in a room. Orgon's wife Emilie is the driving force behind Tartuffe's eventual unmasking; the family servant Dorine is blunt and witty, trading regular retorts with her employers and conjuring solutions to their woes (it's a fifty-fifty chance if they actually follow her advice). If the concept of rhyming dialogue is offputting, never fear—once you've been swept up by the actors' confident delivery, it's easy to forget it's even happening (though I'm told it's better in the original French).WWU's actors are masters of the face journey and take to their roles with glee. I happened to attend a performance featuring two understudies, and while the physical acting was limited by the presence of a script, the delivery stayed strong. Sprinkled throughout the costumes and set is a peacock motif (count them up—and then wonder whether Tartuffe himself adds to the final tally), with a taxidermied setpiece used to great comedic effect. If I have one complaint it's that, in my purely objective lesbian opinion, the actor chosen for Tartuffe was too attractive, cutting down on the disgust his lechery might've otherwise incited. (Depending on how you feel about watching a man slowly eat a plate of mashed potatoes, you may still be able to get your money's worth.)There are few things left unseen in this world, but only in Tartuffe can you watch a man flip his coattails over every piece of furniture in a twenty-foot radius. Bring a snack, bring a friend, and get ready to count some moles—this is a Western production you won't want to miss!

¹ Program for Constance Cogdon’s adaptation of Moliere’s Tartuffe at Western Washington University, Washington. Playbill, 2025.² Tartuffe, by Moliere, translated by Virginia Scott, adapted by Constance Cogdon, directed by Evan Mueller. Live performance. Oct. 2025, WWU Dug Theatre, Bellingham.