Oscar Wilde's comedic masterpiece, "The Importance of Being Earnest," is nonstop entertainment and has produced belly laughs for over 100 years now. Regarded as one of the funniest comedies of the English theater, "Importance" is hitting the Moore Theater in the Hopkins Center and is sure to entertain audiences with its witty banter, clever ironies and downright hilarious characters.
"Importance" opened in London in 1895 to much acclaim, forever sealing Wilde's fate as one of the greatest playwrights of the 19th century. A short five years later, he was dead-shamed and bankrupt after two years imprisonment on charges of homosexuality. Abandoned and disregarded by the very audiences who applauded him, time soon revealed that he was indeed a triumph, as his masterpiece is still being performed and studied today.
The play is a tale of two gentlemen, Algernon Moncrieff (Brett Perala '00) and Jack Worthing (Seth Hoffman '00), who bend the truth to add excitement into their lives. Jack begins to invent wild tales about a fictitious brother Earnest, who causes Jack to periodically leave the country to frolic about the city under the guise of Earnest. Algernon, on the other hand, must leave the city to visit his ailing friend Bunbury in the country.
The deception of these two men cross paths, as Algernon falls in love with Jack's ward Cecily (Skye Gurney '99) in the country, whom he has presented himself to as Jack's fictitious brother Ernest. Jack falls in love with Gwendolyn in the city, who only knows and loves him for his name -- Ernest. Chaos and confusion abound as this comedy of "British manners, impeccable taste, and cultured speech heighten the humor and absurdity of The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde's classic social satire."
Director Paul Gaffney feels that most integral to the performance is its precision. "Being hailed as the perfect comedy, in forms of construction and writing, it is perhaps the best ever written," he said.
He also feels that the most difficult aspect of the production comes from this perfection in recreating the authenticity of the play, set at the end of the 19th century Victorian era. Ranging from the elegant costumes, simple yet versatile scenery, background music, and precise dialects, Gaffney and his team of lighting, costume, and set designers have indeed accomplished what will hopefully be a perfect summer treat.
Lead actor Perala also emphasized the amount of time spent to recreate the original preciseness of the show, citing the intense dialect, movement, breathing and voice training the cast has undergone.
"The cast is so close, and we're having so much fun with the play. It is so hilarious and funny;" Perala said. "It's impossible not to have fun with the text."
Gurney gives Gaffney credit for motivating and inspiring the cast. "He's a great director in that he is extremely comprehensive," she said.
Gaffney mentioned that although he has only worked with Perala and Gurney before, the entire cast has done great work thus far, and he is impressed with the dynamics of having first time actors and actresses work alongside experienced ones.
Also starring in the play are Lisa Bianchi '00, Charles Divak '00, Sarah Hale '00, Ilya Magazanin '00, Julie Sagalowsky '00 and Julie Sloane '99.
One of the more interesting tidbits of the show is its three distinct sets, breaking away from the standard unit set in which pieces are moved around continuously throughout the play.
It will be fascinating to watch, and you won't want to rush off to intermission quite so quickly. Also in the play is an actual copy of the February 14, 1894 London Times which came out after opening night of the play and contains the original review of Wilde's production.
With a talented cast and crew, this show is one that will definitely be enjoyed by all audiences. The cast itself seems to know the secret to the play's long-lasting appeal. "It's so simple," Perala said, "it's hilarious!"
