The Importance of Being Earnest 2015 @ Darlington Civic

A wonderfully witty and erudite play from the master of clever words given a new and highly entertaining twist.

There are many examples of the ‘play within a play’ style of production; some, like ‘The Woman in Black’, use it as a narrative retelling, others, like ‘Peter Pan Goes Wrong’ use it to justify a farcical and somewhat madcap mashup of a familiar tale.  For this version of The Importance of Being Earnest, the ideal is used to couch the well known and much loved Oscar Wilde play within the confines of an amateur theatre group whose own traditions appear to be even more deep rooted than the original.

Brilliantly imagineered (and yes, that is a word, made up by the Disney Corporation but I’m having it now) by Lucy Bailey, the fictitious Bunbury Company of Players have performed the play so many times that they no longer treat it with the reverence oft reserved for Wilde’s work and instead demonstrate that familiarity indeed does breed contempt.  The curtain rises, not on the plush London home scene of John Worthing, but on the cast & crew of the Bunburians hurriedly readying themselves for final dress rehearsals.  There are many in-jokes, some based on Wilde’s prose but many  seemingly on previous years’ performances to which we, the audience, have not been privy – fear not however as these jokes play so heavily on the stereotypical theatre ‘types’ that they are still heartily funny.

Pitching the performance within the guise of the amateur group’s production allows total freedom with the casting; knowing as we do that the cast are all long term statesmen of the Banbury Company we are no longer expecting John or Algernon to be the 30-something men about town, nor do we insist that Gwendoline and Cecily are innocent, fresh-faced young ladies (although I’m positive the beautiful Christine Kavanagh could easily pass for 18 any day of the week).  Through very clever scripting there is thus a subtext of additional humour derived from these clear diversions from the original character profiles which gives a delicious overlay of extra fun.

Of course, most people coming to see The Importance of Being Earnest are already knowing of its story - the light hearted shenanigans of two London based gents who enjoy living double lives, free to create alter-personas through which they can enact their fantasies safe in the knowledge that they can, at any time, 'kill off' their doppelgangers and revert back to their true characters.  With twists aplenty, coupled with the juxtaposition of both leads wanting to assume an 'Earnest' character to capture the affections of their betrothed but realising that neither is very ‘earnest’ at all, it is the quintessential piece of Wilde’s social commentary.

It is wonderful to see such stage & screen luminaries as Nigel Havers, Martin Jarvis, Rosalind Ayres, Nigel Anthony, Carmen Du Sautoy and the irrepressible Sian Phillips on stage at Darlington Civic; a collective worthy of gracing any theatre in the country and one which, simply to observe them at work is worth the ticket price alone.

Importance of Being Earnest 2013 @ Darlington Civic

A wonderfully witty and erudite play from the master of clever words

Set over 3 acts, The Importance of Being Earnest avoids delving into serious social and political issues and instead focuses on the light hearted shenanigans of two London based gents who enjoy living double lives, free to create alter-personas through which they can enact their fantasies safe in the knowledge that they can, at any time, 'kill off' their doppelgangers and revert back to their true characters.  The story however has twists aplenty, coupled with the juxtaposition of both leads wanting to assume an 'Earnest' character to capture the affections of their betrothed but realising that neither is very earnest at all.

We are introduced to John Worthing, who takes the name Earnest for his alter-ego, and learn that he is an abandoned orphan, left in a hand bag in Victoria station.  It is perhaps because of this that he enjoys the anonymity derived from having a London city character and a Hertfordshire country role and 'ne'er the twain shall meet' - that is until he becomes besotted by Gwenoldine and has to wrestle with her affections for 'Earnest' and his desire to tell her the truth.

Enter Algernon, John's best friend, who too enjoys a certain degree of freedom with his personalities.  He learns that John has a pretty ward, Cecily, ensconced in his country house and decides that he must go visit her.  Cecily believes that John is her Uncle Jack and that 'Earnest' is indeed Jacks brother - this is the rouse which John uses to effect his weekend trips to London however for Algernon to pull off his deception he too must become Earnest - confused ?  don't be, all is quite simple as it unfolds.

The play itself leans close to farce at times but always manages, through very clever words and cutting observations, to wrest away from total slapstick and retain the parlance of typical Wildean satire.

As always, The Middle Ground Theatre Company provide stunning set design and a brilliant cast.  While Corrine Wicks and Tom Butcher take lead billing, the whole ensemble deliver masterful portrayals of their characters, firmly held in their social pigeon holes but quite recognisable in today's society.   Lest we not forget it was they who brought us The Holly & The Ivy and On Golden Pond and if you were fortunate to see either or both of those productions then you will certainly enjoy their latest.