The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde’s most revered play “The Importance of Being
Earnest,” is probably one you’ve seen before. It’s been done many times, by
professional and amateur groups alike, and it’s always a crowd pleaser due its
perfect writing and witty characters. I had seen it once before, at the age of
13, at a small local youth theater. My boyfriend at the time played Algernon,
and I remember being more taken by his top hat and tails than by Wilde’s
aristocratic witticisms.
The plot is a simple one: characters lead double lives and fall in love, all the while adhering to (or rebelling against) social norms and expectations. The humor of Wilde shines through each of his characters, with every line underscoring the inherent silliness and of both the characters and their society.
Theatre Banshee’s production was one that reminded me of why I love theater. I was able to fall into a story told by wonderful storytellers. The house was small, perhaps only 50-60 seats, and the stage before it was equally as small, but well suited for the show. The set was just right and simple, not overly fussy or attempting at theatrical realism. The director, Sean Branney, created a great world for the actors to step into and expertly cast each of the characters to shine in the same high-society world.
Overall the production was good, but “Earnest” shined the most when the actors were able to play the twists and turns of each quip. Ms. Sarah van de Pol, as Gwendolyn, excelled at this. She perfectly undercut herself, beautifully showing Wilde’s comedic style and views on people of this society. And because of that, her jokes landed harder and received some of my biggest laughs of the night.
The plot is a simple one: characters lead double lives and fall in love, all the while adhering to (or rebelling against) social norms and expectations. The humor of Wilde shines through each of his characters, with every line underscoring the inherent silliness and of both the characters and their society.
Theatre Banshee’s production was one that reminded me of why I love theater. I was able to fall into a story told by wonderful storytellers. The house was small, perhaps only 50-60 seats, and the stage before it was equally as small, but well suited for the show. The set was just right and simple, not overly fussy or attempting at theatrical realism. The director, Sean Branney, created a great world for the actors to step into and expertly cast each of the characters to shine in the same high-society world.
Overall the production was good, but “Earnest” shined the most when the actors were able to play the twists and turns of each quip. Ms. Sarah van de Pol, as Gwendolyn, excelled at this. She perfectly undercut herself, beautifully showing Wilde’s comedic style and views on people of this society. And because of that, her jokes landed harder and received some of my biggest laughs of the night.
Oddly enough, one of the most successful parts of the show
was the scene change, something I usually consider the worst part of theater. I
have seen so many shows, and I have seen so many different theater companies
and groups change scenery hundreds of different ways. And it is usually during
these times that I sit there noticing the scene change and slowly checking out
of the show to consider other aspects of my life, like what type of baked goods
will be available at intermission. And then there are the times I don’t check
out at all and become fascinated by the amount of stuff being moved about by so
many different stagehands. And hoping that nothing happens that isn’t supposed
to…
One time I watched a girl dressed in black drop a glass and
break it in the middle of the darkened stage during a scene change. And she subsequently
had to run offstage only to return with a broom and dustpan. The scene change
continued, but the audience was no longer fascinated by the story of the play.
The play had become unscripted moments of “what’s going to happen next” and
“how is she going to tell everyone not to step there” and “can she even see all
the glass with the lights so low?” Thankfully, the scene change that occurred
during “The Importance of Being Earnest” was a breath of fresh air.
I was happily surprised to see the creative use of the
butlers in changing the scenery from Act 2 to Act 3 (rather than a quick second
intermission or a terribly distracting set of stagehands scurrying about). They
were choreographed to move the chairs and walls and props as if they were
dancing with one another. The classical music that swelled in the background
added to this dance-like effect, and allowed me as an audience member to watch
with interest as these two men, still in character and in rhythm with one
another, move and set and create a new world. And it was funny, in the “oh look
how clever this is” way. The butter on the muffin (so to speak) was when they
plucked two framed paintings off the wall, flipped them around to reveal two
new paintings, and hung them on different walls of the space. It is interesting
to note that this induced the greatest audience reaction, and subsequently, the
biggest applause beyond the curtain call.
It may seem odd that I spend so much time talking about a
scene change, but I want to give the director credit to know how to solve a
problem well and effectively, while also adding some thematic elements into the
show. For example, am I supposed to consider that although the butlers are
viewed as second-class citizens by the main characters of the play, they are
actually the puppet masters in all of this? Without their actions, the story
would not move forward, the high-society characters would be stuck in a
constant cycle of tea and muffins without ever finding their true love or their
identity. I bring this up only to encourage theater-goers to realize that
although this play was written over 100 years ago, it deals with societal
issues and identity crises that are pertinent throughout modern play writing.
Great theater makers can find ways to bring fresh ideas and new methods of
storytelling to something that seems stuffy or only about the excesses and
eccentricities of a silly wealthy population of London during the turn of the
century.
One particular line in the play, stated by Lady Bracknell in
Act 1, directly deals with some of the same issues popularized in modern story
telling. She responds to Jack’s declaration that he “knows nothing”
approvingly, even stating that “The whole theory of modern education is
radically unsound. Fortunately in England, at any rate, education produces no
effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper
classes, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square.”
I would recommend “The Importance of Being Earnest” to
anyone out there that enjoys a night of simple, beautiful storytelling. It was
enjoyable to sit and listen to some of the most amazing words and characters
ever written be brought to life by well-trained actors. And when you go, please
do check out Jack’s top hat and tails… I certainly did.
Theater Banshee's
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
runs Fridays at 8, Saturdays at 8 and
Sundays at 2 through May 5 at 3435 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank 91505. Call (818)
846 5323 for tickets or
visit Theater Banshee online at
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