The Importance of Being Earnest

The cotswold players

The Importance of Being Earnest

Cotswold Playhouse                                                                             March 14th 2019

Director: Lloyd Morgan    Assistant Director: Rachel Beckett

Director Lloyd Morgan had chosen the more popular three-act version of this play rather than the original four acts.  It opens in the London flat of Algernon Moncrieff and the set reflected the bachelor residence of an idle young man of the era.  After an interval the action moved to the country and the garden of a Manor House in Hertfordshire owned by Algernon’s friend John Worthing.  This set was a little disappointing and I felt not up to the usual standard we have come to expect from this company.  It was well furnished and dressed but the bare drapes at the back would have benefitted from a colour wash or projection, and the downstage doors, not been incorporated properly and looked a bit out of place.  After a second interval the action moved into the morning room of the house, which had a lovely set, which was well furnished and dressed and had French doors into the garden.  The sets had been well lit contrasting the indoor and outdoor scenes, and contrasting the London flat with the morning room.  The sound effects were well cued and appropriate.  The sets had been well furnished and the props had been well sourced.  The wardrobe team had worked hard to produce a lovely set of costumes depicting the wealth of the characters.  Hair and makeup all added to the feel of the era.

This play has a set of well-defined characters with a wide age range, also some lovely cameo roles which when well played add to the humour.  For example, the character of Lane, has some wonderful lines which give an insight into his philosophy on life, which were well delivered and well timed by Jonathan Vickers.

Director Lloyd Morgans, had obviously worked hard with his cast in this ‘comedy of manners’, to create the posture and way of speaking relevant to the era in which it was set, very different to modern day.  The diction was very clear and precise, so the audience heard every word, but it did on occasion make it seem a little ponderous.  This production was confidently acted, with the humour brought out.  Whenever I hear Gwendolen’s line  “I never travel without my diary.  One should always have something sensational to read on the train”, I am always intrigued to know what she could have done to make it sensational.  The audience had obviously enjoyed this ‘Trivial Comedy for Serious People’.

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