Brisbane review - The Importance of Being Earnest: a Delightfully Funny Classic Adventure

By Lilian Harrington

Production: The Importance of Being Earnest

Writer: Oscar Wilde

Company: Villanova Players

Director: Leo Bradley

Location: The Ron Thurley Theatre 28 Tallowood St. Seven Hills.

Season: 23 August - 1 September (weekends and matinees)

Bookings: Tickets at Villanova players.com/ or call 0423720832

 This fast paced and engaging 1894 Victorian classic, The Importance of Being Earnest from Villanova Players, is set to entertain with its characteristic wit and humour, typical of its writer Oscar Wilde. The characters are improbable and humorous and skilfully pulled together with “tongue in cheek”.

 Written at a time when Wilde himself was under a lot of pressure, balancing his family obligations and his own homosexuality, it provides a timely escape. Character, Algernon Moncrieff has a fictional sick friend Bunbury, who has bouts of ill health, so like Wilde, Algernon needs to escape Victorian society to go and support him at times.

           The themes in the play address Victorian issues, society’s expectations and social issues of the day; it also deals with class structure, love and passion, along with the idea of the lost foundling, Jack Worthing who was found in a bag and brought up by a country gentleman, and now seeks to solve the mystery of his birth, and marry Gwendolen. Wilde was Influenced by French theatre and the idea of melodrama, social drama, and farce and he has  incorporated  these elements of farce, absurdity, improbability into The Importance of Being Earnest.

           Director Leo Bradley, has assembled a large cast in this play; he has tapped into the values of honesty and sincerity and shown the pizzazz and playfulness between the two London bachelors, who replicate attitudes of their society with a smooth confidence while at the same time highlight the farcical elements. For instance, he has used the servants to signal feelings, mood, and atmosphere in some scenes, and  his leads have adopted characterisations and delivered their dialogue to mirror their actions as seen in the character of Lady Bracknell (Elizabeth Morris) highlighting society ‘s attitudes.

           Dominic Bradley as Algernon Moncrieff and Michael Ware as John Worthing, worked well together on stage, and their choreography was smooth and clever, however, their initial diction and line delivery in Act 1, was delivered at such a pace that it was hard to follow at times; yet it emphasised clear, social attitudes of Victorian society, and provided information on Jack Worthing’s  intention regarding his love for Gwendolen Fairfax ( Kristina Redwood); at the same time it contrasted his character with the smooth talking Algernon Moncrieff, his best friend, who later turns up at his country estate in Hertfordshire, and desires Jack’s ward Cecily. The two female leads, the talented Louella Baldwin  (Cecily Worthing), and Kristina Redwood(Gwendolyn Fairfax ), delivered a confident  characterisation which developed further in Act 2, when Algernon and Jack become “unmasked” and have to own up to the truth about Earnest,  if they are to win a match with the girls they love.

           The farce brings out the attitudes and differences existing in society in the day, through the confidence shown by Lady Bracknell, (Elizabeth Morris )and supporting  characters Miss Prim (Mary Woodall ), and Dr Chasuable ( Andrew Alley) . 

           The set design allowed for easy changes; Stage Manager, Lynette Wockner (Dobbs), made scene changes seem effortless between the town and country residences. The lighting design by Venus Alaba effectively highlighted mood changes and reflections of the cast. Desley Nichols and Lia Surrentino, costumed the characters in beautifully fitted costumes which highlighted the era and the  character  wearing them; the audience remained engaged and entertained with this delightfully funny, production.