For one night only, Belt Up Theatre bring The Tartuffe back to York Theatre Royal for the final performance of James Wilkes’s adaptation of Moliere’s French comedy.

After two sell-out summers at the Edinburgh Fringe and runs in York and Cornwall and at London’s Southwark Playhouse, the Theatre Royal’s company in residence is bidding a fond farewell to a show that blends clowning, farce, satire, mime and egotistical actors into a “bizarre cocktail of meta-theatrical choreographed chaos”.

“Moliere purists should leave all reservations at the door,” advises James. “If you don’t like to be interacted with, drop your guard because our haphazard troupe will grab you if they need you and by the end, they’ll have to shout at you to sit back down.”

In Wilkes’s account, lost luvvie Orgon Poquelin presents a theatrical representation of his fall from grace at the hands of a sinister conman, the charlatan holy man Tartuffe. Assisted by his troupe of faded French variety act vagabonds, disgraced actor Poquelin attempts a performance to exorcise the demons of his career-destroying scandal.

Audience members can be called on stage to understudy a missing troupe member or deliver a forgotten prop.

“Whether from itching to get on stage or from terror at being picked on, this play will leave you on the edge of your seat,” says James.

After three years of The Tartuffe, the mythology surrounding Belt Up’s play within the play has blossomed into an epic story of its own. Characters have befriended audience members who, in turn, have returned again and again.

“Now, for one night only, you can see the ‘play outside of the play’ receive its final curtain call as ageing actor Orgon Poquelin – played by Dominic J Allen, above – prepares to say goodbye to the stage, accompanied by the 20 or so troupe members,” says James.

Belt Up Theatre presents The Tartuffe, York Theatre Royal, Tuesday, 7.30pm. Box office: 01904 623568. Age recommendation: 14-plus.