THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Bordello Burlesque

This show has played at The Exchange in Balmain and Bel Mondo in The Rocks. The production is inspired by Wilde’s own secret life of indulging in his true desires and proclivities and this is realised through the clever design and costuming techniques utilised. Listening to Wilde’s strange tale and funny dialogue is pleasurable, especially when set amidst the gorgeous Edwardian cabaret room that is Bordello Theatre in the Kings Cross Hotel. There are powerful performances from Tai Scrivener, David Woodland and Anne Wilson. Yet this production falls short in four ways.

Firstly, Earnest is much too earnest. This production fails to deliver the snappy comic timing required to make it fly along and generate laughs. It’s essentially a turn of the century screwball comedy and many of Wilde’s zinger lines fall flat because they are too often delivered too flat and/or too slow. The class trench warfare that permeates this story is not adequately illuminated through the pace and style. The pomposity of upper classes could be amplified considerably to better deliver the story and the humour. Secondly, this play has too many discordant mixes; mixed accents, mixed music and mixed costumes. The story is set in Edwardian England, but all the accents, except for Anne Wilson’s charming English tones, are Aussie. This feels wrong because the time and place seem confused. Thirdly, whilst the costumes are gorgeous and add considerable interest, the discarding of outer garments or quick changes into burlesque style breaches, bustieres, stockings and garter belts seems ad hoc and is never quite explained in the context of the characters or the story. Fourthly, the production generally suffers from a lack of physicality and action. Too many conversations occur with characters seated, so it seems severely sapped of energy and pace.

Do go to enjoy Wild’s prose and Tanya Woodland’s costumes, but the nearly two hours does drag.

Stephen Carnell

Producers: David Woodland, Tanya Woodland, Keith Bosler

Director: Collin Jennings

Production Design: Tanya Woodland

Stage Manager: Russ Cook

Featuring: Anne Wilson, Emma Galliano, Lyn Pierse, Tai Scrivener, Collin Jennings, Keith Bosler, David Woodland, Lewis Scamozzi.