The Importance of being Earnest

The Importance of being Earnest is one of Oscar Wilde's classic plays, and most performed play.A very challenging play with lengthy and complex dialogue, the plot is about two men who try to woo their respective lovers by convincing each of them that their name is Earnest. The play includes many puns on words. Even the title is a pun, because Earnest is a man's name and earnest is a word that means "serious, honest, and sincere".

The play is performed to a three-sided auditorium, and it is essential to ensure that the dialogue can be heard throughout.  The cast achieved this and were excellent and very  confident with the characters. The pace of the play was first-class, as was the diction, projection, and nuances.

Jack Worthing (Gareth Dickinson)  and Algernon Moncrieff (David Colston) are wealthy gentlemen. Jack, known as Earnest, lives a respectable life in the country providing an example to his young ward Cecil. Algernon is Jack's friend who he has known for years.  He has invented a fictional friend "Bunbury", an invalid whose frequent relapses allow Algernon to get out of social obligations. Jack has also invented a character, a wayward younger  brother called Earnest whom he uses as pretext for going up to London  and enjoying  himself.  Gareth and David were brilliant in these two lovable characters.

Jack wants to marry Algernon's cousin Gwendolen, but must first convince  her mother, the snobbish Lady Bracknell, of the respectability of his parents. For Jack having been abandoned in a handbag at Victoria Station, this is quite a difficult task . Lady Bracknell  was played superbly by Sue Brewer and  had some of the most quotable dialogues in the play - with the audience waiting for the famous line "A Handbag" was delivered with style befitting Lady Bracknell.

Gwendolen Fairfax (Poppy Stahelin) is in love with Jack, whom she knows as Earnest.Gwendolen  is sophisticated, and utterly pretentious and she is passionate on the name of Earnest and will not  marry a man without that name. The scene between Gwendolen and Jack while eating the sandwiches was hilarious.Like Gwendolen, Cecily Cardew (played by Rachael Lilley) is also obsessed with the name Earnest. She is intrigued by naughtiness and this idea has prompted her to  fall in love with Jack's unruly brother.  Polly and Rachael were excellent in these roles , being coy in one instance, flirtatious in the next, then followed  by a stand-off with each other.

To add to the mix, we have Miss Prism (Patricia Clifton) Cecily's governess, portrayed as very strict with a very high standard of respectability.  She does have a soft side to her, as she has feelings for Rev. Can on Chasuble (Anthony Clifton)  Great characterisations from both of these actors.

Bill Wilde - perfectly played the role of Algernon's butler, Lane, and the inflections were just right for  a butler of his position in life.  Ian Stevenson's interpretation of Lady Bracknell butler Merriman was so very different, and gave an effortless performance of the doddering butler.

Algernon visit Jack's house in the county and introduces himself to Cecily as Earnest, knowing that Cecily is already fascinated by tales of Earnest's wickedness. He further wins her over and they become engaged. Jack arrives home announcing Earnest's  death and this sets off a series of farcical  exchange as Cecily and Gwendolen both claim that they are engaged to "Earnest"  Jack and Algernon vie to be christened Earnest . Eventually, Jack discovers that his parents were Lady Bracknell's sister and brother-in-law and that he is in fact, Algernon's brother, called Earnest.  The two sets of lovers are thus free to marry.

This was a superbly directed production by Carol Huff. Working to a three-sided auditorium is  not easy as there are a number of things that have to be taken into consideration.  The set as always  was amazing, not just in the design, but also in the construction, lighting and sound effects, furniture and costumes matching the period was excellent and all of this serving enhance the production. Watching the scene changes was brilliant and the crew should  have received their own and well deserved round of applause.

Congratulations to everyone involved on stage and off stage for a truly first class performance of this famous play.

Thank you to everyone at The Pierrot Players for your hospitality and a most enjoyable evening's entertainment.

  

 

 

 

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