Review Roundup: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Roundabout Theatre Company presents the new Broadway production of Oscar Wilde's comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by and starring Brian Bedford as "Lady Bracknell," at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd St.).

The cast also features Dana Ivey as "Miss Prism," Paxton Whitehead as "Rev. Canon Chasuble," Santino Fontana as "Algernon Moncrieff," David Furr as "John Worthing," Tim MacDonald as "Merriman," Paul O'Brien as "Lane," Charlotte Parry as "Cecily Cardew," and Sara Topham as "Gwendolen Fairfax."

Charles Isherwood, NY Times: Mr. Bedford's production is not entirely effortless - Wilde's rococo style can be daunting even to experienced classicists - but it is more buoyant and consistently funny than any I've seen. And as Lady Bracknell, Mr. Bedford presides at the cathedral's altar with supreme skill and stylishness - and a hint of substance too. It's one of the great performances of the season; to miss it would most definitely look like carelessness.

Marilyn Stasio, Variety: Bedford may be the star of this vehicle, but he's shrewd enough to surround himself with sturdy backup, none cleverer at their jobs than Dana Ivey and Paxton Whitehead, a dynamite comic duo as the lovesick tutor Miss Prism and the obtuse vicar, the Reverend Canon Chasuble.

Scott Brown, NY Magazine: Each jewel of wit is polished apple-bright, and every performer is playing in the same key. Forget literary interpretation, forget clenched internal acting: There's great damned musicianship here, and the joy of sheer comic virtuosity. For this we must thank, again, Brian Bedford, who pulls off actor-director double duty with uncommon grace.

David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter: Bedford unleashes a limitless arsenal of variations on dry disapproval and can do wonders with a pause or vocal fluctuation of a half-octave or so. Mulling whether Jack is worth adding to her list of eligible bachelors, Lady Bracknell's grilling of him is comedy at its most sublime. But then, Bedford's every line in this entertaining revival is a jewel.

Mark Kennedy, Associated Press:As this production proves beautifully, his last play was no mere farce. Beneath the drag casting and the luxurious costumes and the confection of words, Wilde left a complex work for the ages.

Michael Sommers: NJ Newsroom: How lovely it must be to encounter this wonderful comedy for the first time - and in such a pleasant production as this one, which isn't flawless but certainly offers a nimble, clearly spoken rendering of the piece in pretty circumstances.

Elisabeth Vincentelli, NY Post: Luckily, in this Roundabout revival, Lady Bracknell is played by Brian Bedford. She couldn't be in better hands. The 75-year-old star -- who also directs -- is consistently funny without resorting to camp or caricature. He's a master of the precise pause and the arched eyebrow, evoking laughter simply by dropping his voice an octave on a word. Floating onstage like a galleon in full sail (excellent costumes by Desmond Heeley), he basically plays the Gorgon straight.

Matt Windman, AM New York: This results in a brilliant performance that is just as hilarious as it is utterly convincing. Those who forget to read the Playbill might not even realize that the role is being played by a man, which is perhaps the greatest compliment that Bedford can receive.

Joe Dziemianowicz, NY Daily News: "The Importance of Being Earnest" turns 116 next month, and the old joker is surprisingly spry. Though the new Broadway revival of Oscar Wilde's satire isn't quite a nonstop delight -- it takes too long to rev up -- it makes for an enjoyable evening.

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