The Importance of Being Earnest

One basic set provided the backdrop for two separate settings and was easily changed from one to the other during the interval.  We saw a raised platform on which flats, carefully painted on one side with art deco panels to set the era, depicted the conservatory in Mayfair, and when turned they revealed cream-coloured stone walls that blended with the matching side backdrops to become the exterior of the Manor at Woolton.  It was a clever and simple design - avoiding the drawing room of Algernon’s London home meant that little was required to change scene and with minimal effort it could be discreetly altered in full view of the audience.  Above the stage a permanent gazebo was prettily clad with ivy, and the walls were dressed with trellises of roses and hydrangeas.  At the centre a ‘window’ showed a view of distant trees and I couldn’t help wondering if perhaps it might have portrayed a different view in each scene, maybe houses for London before the treetops of rural Woolton.

The furniture that dressed the set was pleasingly period-looking with a contrast between the dainty cocktail table of Mayfair and the more robust wooden table and chair in the Manor.  While the London house had an upholstered and bolstered double-ended chaise and matching footstool the country garden was filled with wrought-iron table and chairs plus a bentwood coat stand.  Although the minimal look was far from typical overcrowded Victoriana it allowed us to focus our attention on the performances and, of course, sensibly made the move from venue to venue less arduous.  There were sufficient pieces to set the scene and not so many as to hamper movement.

The audience was greeted on arrival by a soundtrack of birdsong that soon gave way to a lively game of village cricket as members of the cast plus backstage and FOH helpers joined together miming the play with great excitement and inviting audience participation in the action.  Meanwhile Lane carefully set the table for tea.  This was a fun and imaginative way of opening the show that worked well, immediately grabbing our attention before allowing Algernon to walk from his shooting stick observation of the match into the set and start the dialogue seamlessly.  Voices were picked up by head mics and there were a few issues with the connection dropping out intermittently throughout but in the relatively intimate space it wasn’t enough of a problem to mean we couldn’t hear.  Church bells chimed more than once - impossible to tell whether the sound was a recorded effect or coming from a nearby church!  Certainly the first time fitted with the dialogue perfectly.  I did think that an effect had been missed when surely there should have been a Wagnerian doorbell… covered by the cast and how many in the audience would have known?

As ever the props team of HTC were diligent in providing some delightfully believable and accurate looking props.  The china tea set of Act I and its grand silver counterpart in Act II, the covered dish for the cucumber sandwiches - did anyone notice that the lid was in place when Jack said, “Why cucumber sandwiches?”?  X-ray vision!!  Authentic looking aged books, especially the large tome of Army Lists, and a set of smart matching leather suitcases - on a truck so they could become an impromptu table.  An impressively ancient watering can, and that “somewhat large, black leather hand-bag, with handles to it” certainly fitted the bill.  It takes time to assemble a full compliment of props and give the cast the opportunity to rehearse with them so that the handling is deft and confident.  That care was in evidence.

From the start we saw costumes that approximated the Victorian/Edwardian years of fashion and suited the characters and their stations in life.  Lane in dark trousers and tail coat with a servile white cloth draped over his forearm; the two young men in smart suits and waistcoats; sometimes cravats; and full length overcoat for the Reverend.  The ladies were able to display a wider range of finery, notably hats and gloves, high necks, jewellery and matching dolly bags.  Gwendolen, as she should coming from town, had more extravagant dresses than the simplicity of country-bound Cecily’s and Miss Prism was suitably straight-laced in blouse and functional tartan skirt.  Lady Bracknell paraded as a galleon in full sail disporting flounces, bustles and flamboyant hats most satisfactorily.  The Maid in her fleeting appearance didn’t distract the eye, being a typical black and white tweenie.

Make up was good, the natural application allowing us to read the facial expressions clearly.  Hair was styled so that hats sat securely and Miss Prism’s wig (?) was well fitted.  The men’s long hair was tidied as much as it could be into buns at the back.

On an evening when we sat in daylight for much of the performance it almost seemed that lighting would be unnecessary, but towards the end as it became gloomier it was obvious that some illumination was needed.  Throwing light up from the foot of the stage cast substantial shadows and, as you recognised, the downstage right corner was out of focus so that players on that spot were in darkness - were they also masking Algernon sitting in the chair?  I’m sure this will be corrected at the next performances.  It was an interesting choice, with comic potential, to cast one actor as both Lane and Merriman, although I’m not sure that the rather questionable German/Irish accent of the latter was quite enough to fully exploit that, amusing though it was.  Algernon and Jack played well together if somewhat slow in the opening scene; a bit of cue biting would have upped the pace to advantage.  They weren’t alone… Wilde’s acerbic commentary on the mores of the time invites a playful articulation and it would be dishonest of me to ignore my own opinion that all the players at times fell to delivering a very measured speech pattern, perhaps anxious that no words should be lost.  We saw a welcome jolt of energy when Lady B arrived and we waited with baited breath for the line - very nicely delivered and we move on.  Too easy, I imagine, to overplay it.  Movement around the stage looked comfortable, with entrances and exits smooth and timely, so important in maintaining the flow and not all that easy when you’re manoeuvring heavy full skirts, so well done.  It was interesting to note the difference in gestures between the gentlemen, Algie and Jack, and the young ladies, Gwendolen and Cecily.  There was a lot of fidgeting by the men; Algie over-handling the bolster while Jack fiddled with his clothing repeatedly, cuffs, lapels, and pockets.  These characteristics struck me as incongruous with those of confident young men about town and could have been discouraged - it’s all right to stand still on stage; while the girls displayed more discipline and control in their movements as befits young ladies of the period.  To make this “trivial comedy” fit the time frame for an outdoor performance it was shortened from its full length - did you abridge it yourselves, I wonder?  It skilfully retained the essence of the plot to satisfy those acquainted with the original and provided a couple of hours of escapism for an audience thoroughly appreciative of the witty script that satirises the society conventions of a bygone age.  Hearing the laughter is rewarding after the hours of rehearsal and, without doubt, this production will be logged as another success for a multi-talented society that constantly surprises us with a variety of plays, concerts, musicals and pantomimes that keeps a loyal following, as well as entertaining many who haven’t seen them before.  I congratulate the whole company on its achievement, including the amusing programme notes by the performers.

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