After Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde is probably the most quoted playwright in the history of English literature and The Importance of Being Earnest, considered one of the finest comedies ever written, is littered with his witticisms. A “trivial comedy for serious people”, it is delicious. The play’s central plot—the man who both is and isn’t Ernest/earnest—presents a moral paradox. Earnestness, which refers to both the quality of being serious and the quality of being sincere, is the play’s primary object of satire and what Wilde wants us to see as truly moral is really the opposite of earnestness: irreverence.
Wilde’s dialogue is distinctly musical and the art of delivering it, rapid fire and landing punchlines at exactly the right moment, is a challenge. The four young lovers in the Genesian Theatre’s latest offering of the play rise admirably to meet it. Cameron Hutt (Algernon Moncrieff), Ted Crosby (Jack Worthing), Emma Wright (Gwendolyn Bracknell) and Rosanna Hurley (Cecily Fairfax) deliver the famous lines with aplomb with Wright, in particular, scoring hits with every delivery. Her pitch, tone and clarity are excellent. The four lovers’ characters are nicely nuanced and stylised and for the most part throw away the throw-away lines with lovely timing.
Director Trudy Ritchie has wisely decided on two sets rather than the traditional three and the production values for both sets (Owen Gimblett) are very high. The view of the Victorian London streetscape outside Algernon’s window is indicative of the attention to detail Gimblett has delivered. These values are echoed in the fitted costuming (Peter Henson) which plays with period and colour. Michael Schell’s lighting as ever, is impeccable in the space, deftly changing tones and mood and playing off the set perfectly.
Ritchie has delivered a solid show for her first major production for the Genesians. It manages to eschew the interminable scene changes to which the Genesians are somewhat susceptible with transitions handled deftly in the space. Perhaps a little more text work would have seen more witticisms hit the mark, but on the whole it is a production of which the company may be justifiably proud.
And not being as clever as Wilde, it remains to say “Quotation is a serviceable substitute for wit”.
Kate Stratford – Theatre Now
Photographer: Craig O’Regan
The Importance Of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde
26 May – 30 June 2018
Preview night 25th May
Friday and Saturday nights at 7.30pm
Sunday matinée at 4.30pm
Venue: Genesian Theatre
Theatre Company: Genesian Theatre
Duration: N/A
