Review - The Importance of Being Earnest: fun, funny, and made the audience laugh a lot
By Nahima Kern
The Importance of Being Earnest
By Oscar Wilde
Directed by Tallulah M. E. Grey
Presented by Dowling and Dowling Design
Brisbane Arts Theatre
Petrie Terrace
Season runs until March 5. Duration 2.5 hours with interval. Bookings: https://aubat.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/17750
A timeless classic such as Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, is something that has been produced in many iterations, in many different scenarios all around the globe. But last night, it was the charming Brisbane Arts Theatre’s turn to put the pedal to the metal and spin their take on staging Wilde’s literary greatness.
Produced by Dowling and Dowling Design, this play is as classic as it gets, and therefore may seem intimidating to the uninitiated. However, the Arts Theatre did a great job of rolling up their sleeves and getting to producing a play that is still as witty and relevant as any modern story today.
Following the hilarious antics of Jack or “Earnest” Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff as they attempt to win the hearts of their lady loves, this play has it all - comedic elements, serious elements, ironic elements, and more.
The thespians treading the boards at the preview performance were funny, had great comedic timing, and made the audience laugh and clap at all the right moments. The energy was good and Alexander Simpkins, as Jack, Peter Van Werkhoven as Algernon, made a fantastic pair with excellent chemistry.
That being said, there was a majesty to Peta Townend’s Lady Bracknell who commanded the stage with a delightful presence within each of her scenes, and gave the audience a lot to chortle about. Emilia Povey as Gwendolyn and Eleni Koutsoukis as Cecily both tackled these iconic roles with as much gusto as any and it certainly paid off, as the resulting performances were winsome yet fierce.
Brisbane Arts Theatre has an important role to play in the community theatre space and will hopefully continue to do so for many years to come. Their production of The Importance of Being Earnest was fun, funny, and most important of all, made the audience laugh a lot and forget the troubled world for a moment. For those wanting an entertaining night out reviving a beloved classic from an iconic playwright, look no further than the Brisbane Arts Theatre for their season of The Importance of Being Earnest.