The Importance of Being Ernest
October 30, 2007
The Importance of Being Ernest is one of Oscar Wildes hardiest plays that is often produced on tour or as part of a season of plays at theatres around the country.
In fact we only have to look back to 1991 to recall Penelope Keith touring in another version of “Ernest” again playing Lady Bracknell, her co-stars on that occasion were the real life husband and wife team of Dulcie Grey and Michael Dennison.
Move forward to 2007 and we have Miss Keith playing the same role of Lady Bracknell with, for obvious reasons different co-stars, this time the play is on a pre West End tryout, astounding as that may be due to the production values I witnessed.
While there is no doubt in Keiths ability to play the uppercrust roles (and we still remember her as Margo in TVs The Good Life followed by To The Manor Born) that is where one of the problems lie, she has never appeared to get away from this TV stereotype. There is always Penelope Keith, playing Penelope Keith first, then the character, no matter how well suited she maybe to any role, Lady Bracknell being no exception. Having seen her in several productions such as Time and the Conways and The Deep Blue Sea, I see her as Penelope Keith first and foremost with the character hidden behind that persona. I wish she would play against type in a role that would categorise her as an all-round actress, then you may see the character first, the actress second.
In this version of the play we are lucky enough to have two excellent young actors playing the central roles of Algernon (William Ellis) and John (Harry Hadden-Paton) who are both perfect for their roles, sparring off each other and making each line of Wildes script count.
Unfortunately after that things are not so good, as Penelope Keiths voice, surprisingly, at times fails to carry across the footlights. It is only her perfect diction that makes her lines audible. Likewise Janet Henfrey as Miss Prism fails to be heard alot of the time, with many of her lines failing to reach the audience.
While the rest of the cast cope with their roles, designer William Dudley has produced one of the worst touring sets I have seen in professional theatre for many years. It is hard to imagine that this is the same person who won awards for his designs on Andrew Lloyds Webbers musical “Woman in White” just two years ago.
The whole stage is surrounded in a white, dustsheet type material, but part of it appears to have been walked on by stage hands before it was hung as you cannot fail to notice the black marks and the bull dog clips holding it in place and it sags in many places.
Each of the three sets are a similar affair , with a back wall that does not fill the stage and two small side sets. In the opening act every time the side door was used to exit the stage, the set visibly wobbled. You could also see shadows of the cast against the white backdrop as they entered and exited the stage area behind the set and an electricity cable running along the floor. But even worse, Penelope Keith was clearly visible at the back of the set waiting for her first entrance for over five minutes. She kept coming into view from behind the sets back wall, as she appeared to pace up and down waiting her cue, this was very off putting and not what you expect of any production, let alone one heading for the West End.
Curiously, lighting designer Giuseppe di lorio, not content with us being able to see shadows of the cast on the white sheeting when they are behind the set, starts to fade the stage lights around three minutes before the final curtain. As the action in Act 3 does not jump several hours in to the evening I was left wondering was my eyesight rapidly going or where the cast going to be left in total darkness before they finished. I am glad to say neither proved to be the case, but why the lighting faded is still beyond me.
Director , Peter Gill, ends each act with the characters going in to a “freeze frame” effect where they literally stop until the curtain falls.
The play has a rather involved plot revolving around John Worthing, who pretends to have a younger brother, Ernest. While Algernon Moncrieff pretends to have an invalid friend, “Bunbury,” whose illness make him take emergency visits to see him in the country just when there are social functions happening he does not want to attend. Algernon refers to his trips to as “Bunburying.”
John has managed to hide from Algernon the location of his country place and the existence of an attractive ward, Cecily Cardew. In Algernon’s flat over tea, John confesses he is going to propose to Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolyn (Daisy Haggard), who only knows him as Ernest. Algernon refuses his help unless Jack explains the inscription on his cigarette case which Algernon has found. Finally John has to reveal Cecily Cardew (Rebecca Night) existence, who is his attractive ward, but John refuses to reveal her whereabouts.
Gwendolyn accepts Johns proposal, admitting she has always felt that a man named “Ernest” would marry her. But when meeting Gwendolyn’s mother, Lady Bracknell, John gives his country address which Algernon takes down with the intention of going “Bunburying” during John’s absence from home. However Lady Bracknell learns that John’s identity dates from the discovery of a baby in a large black handbag in Victoria station she refuses to consent for the marriage.
Cecily, alone in the country with her governess, Miss Prism, is surprised when Algernon arrives, but he is in disguise, calling himself Ernest. The young couple lose no time in becoming engaged when Cecily admits the name “Ernest” has always fascinated her. When John returns unexpectedly to announce Ernest has died suddenly in Paris, he has no idea Ernest is at the very moment in the house, very so much alive.
When Gwendolyn and Cecily realise that they both seem to be engaged to an Ernest Worthing, the situation becomes understandably strained. But, when both Jack and Algernon arrive to clarify the situation, they reveal neither of them is actually named Ernest. Once the girls realise both men were willing to undergo a christening to change their name to Ernest they forgive them.
But when Lady Bracknell arrives, the question of consent comes up again and she is willing for Algernon to marry Cecily (and her fortune). Jack, however, as Cecily’s guardian, refuses his consent unless Lady Bracknell permits him to marry Gwendolyn. The appearance of Miss Prism who is recognised by Lady Bracknell, results in Jack being identified as Algernon’s lost elder brother, Ernest! Nicely tying up all the loose ends and providing a happy ending.
This production survives because of three factors, the performances of Ellis and Hadden-Paton and the witty, sharp script of Oscar Wilde.
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