The Importance of Being Earnest

AFDS as it turns out are a somewhat enforced nomadic group, who rarely get to perform on home territory. The last two shows were performed in Stewartby village hall, but for availability reasons the venue for this show was the very pleasant if somewhat tiny TADS theatre in Toddington, not a venue I have ever visited before, It is certainly a well-equipped venue that AFDS were able to take full advantage of for this classic Oscar Wilde masterpiece.

Although I have seen this play quite a few times, I have never seen it done in the round before. Well, not quite in the round, to be more accurate the width restriction of the venue meant it was performed in what would normally be the stalls, with raked seating on one side and using the stage for the additional seating on the opposite side, and I have to say it working really well. Good choice!

Before the show started we were shown to our seats by the butler, Lane (Alistair Kelly) complete with starched collar, tails and white gloves. A nice touch. We were then royally entertained by May Blossom (Sallie Phillips), suitably attired in long period dress, black evening gloves and period microphone with a variety of songs from the 1920’s to 1950’s. This all added splendidly to the ambiance of the evening.

The set itself was cleverly prepared using period furniture: chaise longue, chairs, table etc and some extremely well-made props such as a small flat cut out and very well painted to give us a garden fence. The white metal garden furniture in particular was absolutely perfect and so in keeping with the gentile, monied society in which the play is set. And not to forget the piece-de-resistance, the flower covered pagoda arch. All very well thought out by Kevin Horton and the director, Sarah Benjamin. To be ultra-critical, a slightly larger table for the tea tray would have helped as it left the actors floundering when it came to pouring said tea with any kind of delicacy.

The lighting by Paul Horsler, assisted by Richard Moynham was exceedingly well done, particularly with the marbling effect on the carpet and stairs leading down from the stage. Very clever. The sound effects by Derek Moore all cued in perfectly and in this small venue projection by all the actors was never a problem as every word could be heard with crystal clarity, often a problem in other venues when actors have their backs to you with plays staged in the round. 

The costumes, again by Director, Sarah Benjamin, were period authentic down to the last detail, the ladies’ outfits in particular would have graced any Victorian royal enclosure with some aplomb. Whether begged, borrowed, stolen, hired or made, a lot of thought, time and trouble had obviously been put into their acquisition. In fact it is the attention to detail from every aspect of this show that made the whole show such a delight.

Despite being on the ‘must do’ list of most Am Dram societies, this is not an easy play to perform, the subject matter for one is about the idle rich from a bygone era with outdated protocol on courting and manners, about which modern audiences would neither recognise nor care about, or indeed sympathise with. Add to that a rather absurd and shallow plot to boot! So creating empathy for Wilde’s characters long after such things have gone out of fashion is not by any means a gimme and in the wrong hands can often become a turgid production. Sarah Benjamin fell into none of these bear traps, and gave us a fast paced, witty, very light, well-rehearsed production, which kept us thoroughly entertained throughout. 

The actors were all very well cast indeed. Hugo Henche as Earnest (or John/Jack) Worthing was perfect for this part and carried this show along at a cracking pace. Scott Younger as Algeron Moncrieff was a great foil to Henche’s Ernest, with a wonderful mildly camp performance. The attention to detail really came into play in their eating scenes which were particularly well done. It is not, I can tell you from personal experience, easy to talk to, let alone have an argument with somebody on a stage with a mouthful of food. This pair managed it exquisitely and with great humour.

Their respective love interests, Sarah Vanstone-Howe (Cecily) and Tracey Callen (Gwendolen) were also consummate actresses who played off each other as well as their other halves very well indeed. Their argument over marrying ‘Earnest’ was particularly witty with the underlying rivalry between them well emphasised with looks and pauses as much as speech. Wonderful stuff.

Samantha Golton as Lady Bracknell was utterly commanding in this powerful part, she just owned the stage! Every Victorian’s fearful aunt to the hilt. Brilliant stuff!

Helen Morris as the slightly dotty Miss Prism who managed to leave a baby in a handbag at Victoria station was also excellent and looked the part down to the hair and glasses. Aldo Saralli as The Rev Chasuble, Alistair Kelly as the butler, Lane and Robina Chatham as Mrs Merriman topped off an exquisite cast to this excellent production.

A couple of late entrances and the odd late blackout and one particularly glaring continuity point, referring to a red rose as pink – change the script to suit availability guys! But apart from those knit picking minor points this was pretty much a faultless production and I congratulate Sarah Benjamin and her team on a well-rehearsed and well-presented, very witty production. As my wife said on the way home, we have just been thoroughly entertained. I can’t disagree!

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