Review: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at Austin Playhouse

Ahhh, yes, the enduring Oscar Wilde classic, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. Any legitimate theatre lover knows it.

A sparkling parade of bons mots, this comedy of manners finds its way into the Austin theatre scene with annual regularity in some way or another. Heck, Oscar Wilde even pops up to save the day in the most recent Downton Abbey feature film.

A jewel of the English stage, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST turned social satire into high art, its wit still cutting as cleanly today as it did in 1895. First dismissed as “trivial,” it’s now celebrated as one of the most perfectly constructed comedies ever written, sitting comfortably alongside TWELFTH NIGHT, THE RIVALS, and PYGMALION in the canon of English stage classics.

In case you were not assigned this pinnacle of comedic perfection in literature or drama class, let’s review the story. Jack (Devin Finn) and Algernon (Bailey Ellis), two charming bachelors, create elaborate double lives to escape social obligations and pursue the refined affections of Gwendolen Fairfax (Sarah Zeringue) and Cecily Cardew (Vivian Noble).

Adding to the hilarity are Rev. Chasuble (Lowell Bartholomee) and Miss Prism (Gina Houston), whose own flirtations provide a delightfully prim counterpoint to the younger lovers. Butler Merriman (Hans Venable) cleverly ushers the players forward as needed. Tangled deceptions unravel amid sharp-tongued wit, romantic mischief, and the formidable presence of Lady Bracknell (Babs George), whose approval (and disapproval) motivates a good chunk of the shenanigans.

Austin Playhouse sets this story on a sparse and flexible set of Mike Toner’s design, and Buffy Manners and Diana Huckaby drape the loveliest of costumes on a company of deft actors. As Algernon, Bailey Ellis channels Wilde’s, er — flamboyant — and unquestionably witty, personality. His verbal dueling partner Jack is played by a... yes... I’m going to say it... earnest, Devin Finn.

Sarah Zeringue’s Gwendolen seems the perfect satirical romantic, while Vivian Noble’s Cecily is as dedicated to her fantasies as Jack and Algernon are to theirs. In a sense, Wilde’s Gwendolen and Cecily are the perfect subversive Victorian feminists. Their significant power over the men in their lives is only surpassed by Gwendolen’s mother, Lady Bracknell.

Babs George, whose sly skill gives us perhaps the finest droll example of Wilde’s style, is an imposing and self-serving Bracknell. She hits that groove that Goldilocks called “just right.” Lowell Bartholomee’s Rev. Chasuble and Gina Houston’s Miss Prism serve as Wilde’s commentary on religion and morality, both of them comically succumbing to the very longings they criticize. And as Lane and Merriman, Hans Venable brings a flair to these roles aimed at mocking societal hierarchy.

Director Lara Toner drives the play with a crisp and engaging pace, often through excellent staging. Aside from a few entrances that lagged, this is a brisk and funny show. My tastes for this play lean toward a more understated performance than Toner committed to with this cast, but I have little argument regarding the skill with which it was presented. On the night we attended, an appreciative audience readily enjoyed the production.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST is a wonderful start to Austin Playhouse’s 2025–2026 season. This crowd favorite is a classic for a reason. That said, there’s only one weekend left to catch this solid Austin Playhouse production.

Now you know, so go! To miss it would be a misfortune; to miss it deliberately would be careless.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

by Oscar Wilde
Directed by Laura Toner Haddock

Austin Playhouse West Campus
405 W. 22nd Street
Austin, TX, 78705