Review: Stratford's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST is a Riot

Written by Oscar Wilde to poke fun at Victorian society and manners, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST is the rare comedic play that will elicit laughter from simply reading it let alone watching it. Director Krista Jackson and a fabulous company of actors take the brilliant material and make it even better.

As the play begins, we quickly learn that bachelors Algernon Moncrieff (Carter Gulseth) and John Worthing (Joe Perry) have both created alter egos and live double lives as a way to escape the pressures of Victorian society. In fact, up until this point, Algernon had only known John as ‘Ernest’ – John’s fictitious younger brother who he pretends to be whenever he’s in London. The problem for John, is that the object of his affection, Gwendolyn Fairfax (Allison Lynch) has also only ever known him as Ernest and it turns out, the name is a dealbreaker. Such is also the case for Worthing’s ward Cecily Cardew (Marissa Orjalo), who Algernon quickly falls for. A series of hijinks ensue as both men pretend to be ‘Ernest’ to woo the ladies.

EARNEST feels like one of those plays where ‘play’ truly is the operative word, and this cast has a riotous time. Carter Gulseth is a delight as the frivolous Algernon. With a mischievous glint in his eye, his wit and charm are irresistible. As the far more serious (but equally as ridiculous) Worthing, Joe Perry is superb. The two are a fun pair as Perry’s Worthing becomes increasingly exasperated by Algernon’s shenanigans. Equally as charming and hilarious are Lynch and Orjalo. Both are excellent when paired with their respective beaus, but the real magic happens in their hilarious scenes with one another.

Fiona Reid is a force as Gwendolyn’s mother, Lady Bracknell. There is a moment near the end of the play when the plot takes yet another twist, where the way Reid says the word “baby” is so funny that the patron next to me quite literally snorted. Twice.

Lucy Peacock and Ben Carlson are both great as the uptight Miss Prism and the oblivious object of her affection, Rev. Chausuble, respectively, and butlers Lane and Merriman, played by Sean Arbuckle and Liam Tobin, are also highlights. Watching them both put up with Algernon is immensely funny. They also have a fun little side plot in between scenes.

The Set Design by Bretta Gerecke does well to bring audiences into the concurrent world of Victorian seriousness and triviality that Wilde aims to capture with this play. As you enter the theatre, the first thing you notice is a large floral backdrop and a garden of hundreds of flowers covering the lip of the stage. There are two main sets – one for Algernon’s home in the city and one for John’s in the country – and the transitions from one to the other are done by the ensemble with the same satirical tongue-in-cheek ‘seriousness’ that the play purports to have. Set pieces - like a revolving door - that initially seem to exist for functionality are eventually used for physical comedy. The whimsy with which the set is used, matches well with the whimsical and farcical nature of the play as a whole.

Making her Festival debut, Juno-nominated musician Sarah Slean is the composer for this production and she perfectly captures and pairs the essences of Victorian sensibility and the silliness of the story.

EARNEST was the first of two June openings for the Stratford Festival, with OTHELLO opening the following night. The Festival was smart to balance comedy and tragedy by pairing the two - allowing audiences to experience just about every human emotion in the span of 48 hours.

This absolutely hilarious production is a must-see for any Oscar Wilde fan, and quite frankly for anyone who enjoys a good laugh.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST continues in repertory at the Avon Theatre until October 23rd.