The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest
By Oscar Wilde. Artefact Theatre Co. St Martin’s Theatre. March 27 - April 7, 2018

Founded in 2016, Artefact Theatre Co. is a fully independent self-funded theatre company. Their latest production is Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest; a play often considered to be one of the wittiest in the English language. Premiering in 1895, Wilde described the play's theme as "That we should treat all trivial things in life very seriously, and all serious things of life with a sincere and studied triviality”. In this satirical play about Victorian manners, Wilde highlights the pomposity and the hypocrisy of the very people who would have been the audience at the time.

Two bachelors, Algernon Moncrieff (Mark Raymond Yeates) and John Worthing (Ross Dwyer), discover each other’s secrets - they have each been deceiving their friends and family by leading double lives. 

Their cosy arrangement begins to unravel when Algernon injects himself into John’s alternative life in pursuit of John’s ward. As the deceptions become harder to sustain the inevitable complications become opportunities for high comedy, slapstick and social comment.

Mark Raymond Yeates and Ross Dwyer work beautifully together with the physical choreography of the performance impressive, especially while consuming muffins! Yeates imbued Algernon with a sanguine attitude that was the perfect counterpoint to Dwyer’s uptight “Victorian” demeanour. Cecily Cardew (Cazz Bainbridge) and Gwendolen Fairfax (Olivia Solomons) as the objects of their desire, flirted and fussed and manipulated with hilarious results.

Sailing through the chaos, like a galleon in full sail, is the formidable Lady Bracknell (James Cutler).  With a veritable hand bag full of withering epigrams and droll sayings, Lady Bracknell is the embodiment of Victorian upper-class views; power and position being the most important thing in life, no matter how you attain it.  Cutler has both the physical and vocal presence to ensure Lady Bracknell is the centre of attention, as she would deem to be most appropriate.

Lane and Merriman, man servants (Thomas Jones, doing double duty), are the base line against which the extremes of the other characters are measured. Jones carried off his duties with aplomb, from subtle facial expressions to pratfalls when required. Rev Chausible (Frank Handrum) and Miss Prism (Suzanne Sandow) rounded out the cast with their presence being crucial to the ultimate resolve of the play.  

Much attention to detail has been lavished on the costumes, and costume designer Jacqui Day and her sewers are to be congratulated, along with millinary by Zoe Thompson.

Using minimal props to suggest location, the set was very plain and walls were positioned well downstage. The tight acting space resulted in some awkward action as characters in full Victorian garb squeezed past the furniture, and audience in the first few rows on the opposite side of the theatre had to turn their heads side on to watch the action.

Under the direction of Matthew Cox, Artefact Theatre Co have created a fast-paced Victorian romp that is sure to delight lovers of Oscar Wilde and hopefully introduce this work to a new generation of theatre goers.

Shirley Jensen

 

Images (from top): Ross Dwyer and Mark Yeates,Olivia Solomons and Ross Dwyer, and James Cutler. Photographer: Amy Gubana.

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