Review: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at St. Jude's Church Hall

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Thursday 16th November 2017.

Oscar Wilde's comedy of manners, The Importance of Being Earnest, under the direction of company president, Rosie Aust, ends the year for the St. Jude's Players. Wilde subtitled this, his final play, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People, but there are some serious social comments hidden beneath the clever and very funny dialogue. The packed opening night audience attests to the ongoing popularity of Wilde's witty works, and to the high reputation of this company. Aust has made a bold and wise decision in casting this production, and has built a strong production.

John 'Jack' Worthing J. P. has invented a rather disreputable younger brother, Ernest, whose fictional misdemeanours he uses as an excuse to leave his country estate and go up to town, as Ernest, in order to visit the girl he loves, the Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax, cousin of his friend Algernon Moncrief. Algy Moncrief, on discovering Jack's deception, decides to visit Jack's young ward, Cecily Cardew, in the guise of being Jack's younger brother, Ernest. Standing in Jack's way of marriage to Gwendolen is her mother, the formidable Lady Bracknell, and Jack, in turn, stands in the way of Algy's marriage to Cecily. Cecily's tutor, Miss Prism, however, has a long-held secret that could change everything.

Casting a man in the role of Lady Bracknell has been done before but, apparently, not in Adelaide by a local company. Aust has remedied that omission by enlisting Andrew Clark to play Lady Bracknell in this production, and he does a remarkably fine job of it. With ramrod straight posture and looking down his nose austerely on all around him, Clark captures her ladyship superbly. His deadpan delivery of the lines keeps the audience laughing at his every appearance.

Robert Bell is a standout in this production, in the role of Algy. He embodies that sense of entitlement of the aristocracy of the era, the young man who wants for nothing and of whom little is expected in return, idly passing the time in trivial, meaningless pursuits to relieve the boredom. His trip to the country to find Cecily begins as a game, a chance to make fun of Jack. Falling in love is his unexpected redemption. There is far more to Wilde's comedy than appears on the surface.

Matthew Chapman plays Jack Worthing with, to me, a little too much physicality. We are in an era and class where showing emotion was poor form, and the stiff upper lip prevailed. His Australian accent also showed through a bit too often. Accents, even British ones, always seem to trip up Australian actors.

Vanessa Redmond plays Gwendolen Fairfax, and Brittany Daw takes the role of Cecily Cardew, the two ingénues, and love interests of the two rakes. Individually, they contribute plenty of charm and style but, together, when they mistakenly think that they are both enamoured of the same man, Earnest, they really sparkle.

Miss Prism is played by Lesley Reed and, as with Andrew Clark, experience shows. She presents a fine blend of Victorian propriety, and repressed interest in the Reverend Chasuble.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of diction and projection, and both needed a little work on opening night by a number of the cast. When David Lockwood made his entrance, as Reverend Chasuble, and began his dialogue, the difference was notable.

Andy Winwood takes on the dual roles of the butlers, Lane and Merriman, but Irish accents are make and break, so a neutral accent might have been better.

The simple but effective set, with reference to Aubrey Beardsley in the wallpaper strips, was a good fit with the rest of the production and, with some refinement in the performances in the next few days, this should be an audience pleaser.

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