The Importance of Being Earnest

Synopsis

Classic turn-of-the-century comedy of social manners. A very complicated plot that includes the famous "A Handbag!" line .. Jack Worthing is in love with Gwendolen Fairfax, daughter of the redoubtable Lady Bracknell, and cousin of his friend Algernon. They cannot wed until the mystery of his parentage (he was found in a handbag on Victoria Station) is resolved. Algy discovers that Jack has a pretty young ward, Cecily, living at the Manor and visits her pretending to be Jack's fictitious (and wicked) brother Ernest.

Our Review:

9 June 2010

The curtain falls on The Library Theatre with a production of The Importance of Being Earnest that reflects both the underlying themes of the play and the history of the theatre in which it is performed. The main plot, in Oscar Wilde’s wonderfully complex and witty play, concerns the efforts of John Worthing (Simon Harrison) to marry Gwendolen Fairfax (Natalie Grady) by overcoming obstacles such as his unusual family history, the displeasure of Gwendolen’s aunt and the fact that his bride to be will marry only someone with the name ‘ Earnest.'
 
The play, in which characters lead double lives – one for pleasure the other for duty, can be viewed as reflecting homosexual life in the Victorian era when it was written. The subtle direction of Chris Honer acknowledges this interpretation without distracting from the simple flirtatious pleasure of the play. The sexual undertone in the opening scene in whic...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

No reviews yet

Click here to add your review