The Importance of Being Earnest

The Pranksters set their production in the 1920s, which worked very well. Two close friends, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff discover that each leads a double life to escape their tedious routine, Jack’s in the country, and Algy’s in town. Jack pretends to be his brother Earnest, whilst Algernon has invented a very poorly friend Bunbury, who needs his constant attention in the country. They meet two delectable young ladies, Gwendolen and Cecily, and suddenly their deceptions catch them out, and they become quite tangled up in elaborate attempts to woo these two, and avoid the scrutiny and displeasure of the fierce Lady Bracknell. There’s a mix-up with a handbag left at Victoria Station, and of course a whole wonderful evening of exquisite Wilde prose and wit.

The stunning setting beneath the shade of the huge oak, I think it is, with the stage in front of the Victorian bandstand in Guildford’s Castle Grounds never fails to delight. This year’s production in the heatwave benefited hugely from the shade provided. This beautiful setting is greatly enhanced by hordes of swifts, soaring and screeching above. Glorious!

Minimal scenery was required. Props suggested an elegant 1920s drawing room, with a bell to ring for the butler, tea pot and cups, and of course plates of cucumber sandwiches. When the action moved to Jack’s country house, there were plenty of Latin and other boring textbooks for his ward Cecily’s lessons with her governess Miss Prism. And of course, there was the huge leather handbag, central to the plot.

We arrived to hear wonderful tunes from the 20s, original recordings, which perfectly set the scene. Lighting was very effective throughout.

Ladies’ costumes were charming, true to the period, from the elegant crochet cloche sported by Gwendolen down to the shoes. Lady Bracknell wore a couple of exquisite gowns complete with fine hats, handbags etc. Miss Prism wore a very pretty Edwardian era costume, long skirt, jacket and pretty blouse. Jack Worthing was dressed in black (he’s the more serious one), while Algernon wore a marvellously colourful yachting blazer like those to be found in tailor’s shops in Henley (He’s the more outgoing and flamboyant one).

First of all I have to say that Pranksters had made the decision to have Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff played by women. That was different! The whole cast played their parts well, and the story just fizzed and buzzed along, with all those great Wilde lines:

‘I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.’

‘All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does, and that is his.’

‘To lose one parent, Mr Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness.’

Good direction by Jennifer Haynes assisted by Jenny Swift ensured excellent pace and comic timing.

The vain and loud ‘man about town’ Algernon was played confidently by Malin Karp, and the more serious and cautious, easily outraged Jack was played with a quieter confidence – he knew who he was, as the country squire, (although of course he DIDN’T know who he was!) by Caroline James. They and we enjoyed their banter, though one did rather feel for Ms Karp having to eat all those cucumber sandwiches, and the unfortunate butler Lane having to cover for him in front of his terrifying Aunt Augusta. The arrival of this imperious and haughty aunt, Lady Bracknell, a tour de force from Charlotte Lamb, raised the tension levels of course. Ms Lamb is a great character actor.

Heilin-Anne Leonard-Pugh played the suitably coy Gwendolen Fairfax, Lady Bracknell’s daughter, and Alex Gold the delightfully somewhat rebellious teenager Cecily Cardew, ward of Jack Worthing, clear characters both. Pru Lunberg was marvellous as Miss Prism, who caused all the confusion years ago with depositing the baby, instead of the manuscript of her novel, in the handbag and leaving it at Victoria Station.

Ian Creese was a convincing Reverend Chasuble, and it was nice to see not only the two young couples united at the end, but also the Reverend and the Governess.

A great evening’s summer fun!

 

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