Review: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at Company OnStage

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of being Earnest is a farcical comedy of manners built on deliberate absurdity. Two young men, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, maintain elaborate lies to escape social obligations, only to find those fabrications spiraling into romantic and social chaos. Along the way, Wilde skewers Victorian values around marriage, class, and propriety, all while disguising his satire as light comedy. For myself, the plot itself is secondary to the necessary rhythm: misunderstandings pile up, identities blur, and everything hinges on language, timing, and the audience being in on the joke.

Because of that, Earnest is deceptively difficult to do well. On the page, the script sparkles; onstage, it lives or dies by precision. Wilde’s dialogue depends on actors fully understanding not just what they’re saying, but what they’re implying. The double entendres, casual cruelty, and self-awareness baked into any Wilde text require performers who trust each other completely. This is especially true in the many two-person scenes, where chemistry isn’t optional but foundational. Without that shared rhythm, the wit can feel flat or slow.

Company OnStage’s production approaches the material with clear affection for Wilde’s world and language. The staging is straightforward, keeping the focus on the text, and the cast earnestly (wink, wink) leans into the heightened style the play demands. In scenes where the performers appear most confident with the material, the production finds its footing: the actors relaxed into the language, stopped anticipating their next line, and allowed the rhythm of the scene to carry them away naturally.

That said, this particular production doesn’t always find the effortless glide that Earnest needs. Some exchanges feel more dutiful than dangerous, and the essential spark between scene partners (so crucial to Wilde’s comedy) could be inconsistent. When the chemistry clicked, the show lifted; when it didn't, the comedy had a tendency to settle into polite amusement rather than sharp delight.

For a first-time director, Sam Martinez, showed a clear understanding of both the play and the performers bringing it to life. Coming to the role from an acting background, Martinez seemed to foster an environment of trust, where the cast appeared comfortable taking risks and working collaboratively, an ease that suggests they were being guided by someone who speaks their language. This extended to the overall production as well, with design and technical elements working cohesively to support the storytelling. Together, the production reflects a thoughtful, well-coordinated effort that plays to the strengths of the company and the intimacy of the space.

Rory Drasko balanced Jack Worthing’s sincerity with the absurdity of the situations they find themselves in. Jack is tricky in that he is more serious than Algernon, and must appear grounded without dampening the farcical madness. Dan Giles, as scoundrel Algernon Moncrieff, played the role in a more philosophical bent and demonstrated good comic timing and an understanding of the musical nature of the dialogue. His scenes with Cecily were a high point.

Barbara Brandt was clearly born to play Lady Bracknell, leaning into absolute certainty, treating every pronouncement as gospel and every opinion as fact. Her measured pace, criticizing gaze, and constant judgement of those around her, she was both formidable and hilarious, embodying a woman who believes she is the natural guardian of society itself.

Gwendolen and Cecily are both Victorian versions of femininity, honed by social expectation; country life and city life, two sides of the same coin. Chelsea Ashmore-Oldham as Gwendolen gave that intellectualized romantic flair and delivered fierce attachment to rules, especially the ones she invents to justify her feelings. CarrieLee Sparks as Cecily approached life with (true) earnest confidence and a flair for self-authored drama. Both succeeded in playing that certainty straight, never winking at the joke. Their scenes hit the timing and escalating politeness. I had wished for a closer similarity in age, as per the Wilde script, but that might have been a specific costuming decision.

Jennifer Lee (as Miss Prism) and Trent Edwards (as Rev. Chasuble) made the most of their smaller roles by digging into the silliness of their completely improbable love for each other. They balanced their roles and scenes well, building up to the complete inanity of the climax with growing zeal.

As a community theatre production, The Importance of being Earnest at Company OnStage is thoughtfully staged and clearly rooted in an appreciation for Wilde’s wit and structure. The play’s delicate balance of language, timing, and chemistry that work in perfect harmony, is not always easy to sustain, but the production shows an understanding of what makes the comedy work. When it found its rhythm, the result was engaging and charming, underscoring the company’s continued investment in bringing classic material to life.