130 years ago The Importance of Being Earnest first opened on a London stage to universal acclaim. Irish writer Oscar Wilde was at the height of his fame, only for the curtain to come crashing down on his life and reputation just a matter of months later.
Ostracised and imprisoned, this would be his final play and his most celebrated.
The Importance of Being Earnest is currently running for a month at the Lyric Theatre and you will not be disappointed with this production. Even before the play begins the audience is treated to original 19th century billboard ads that give you a flavour of the period in which the play takes place, the highlights of which includes Cocaine Toothache Drops and Cigars De Joy for Asthma.
Pompous and even cartoon-like, the characters are well-known and you will prepare yourself in anticipation for many of the one-liners as the actors set them up for delivery.
The cast are on the top of their game
Wilde’s sharp wit and keen eye for the subject are on clear view in what was the last of his drawing-room plays. Holding a mirror up to and poking fun at the contradictions of Victorian middle-class society, his over-the-top characters satirise late 19th century London society which he knew all too well.
And so we have the two main characters Algernon and his friend, who is known as Jack in the country and Ernest in the city. Algy also has an imaginary sickly friend who he has to visit in the country named Bunbury who conveniently gets him out of boring dinner parties in the city. Throw in the love of Ernest’s life, city girl Gwendolen, and his ward in the country Cecily, and the austere Lady Bracknell – played by the brilliant Allison Harding – and we’ve got the makings of a laughter-laced lark.
The cast are on top of their game too. Adam Gillian and Conor O’Donnell as Ernest/Jack and Algy respectively, with Conor really hamming it up to great appreciation from the audience. Meghan Tyler as Gwendolen could be straight out of Blackadder, while the young and impressionable Cecily, played by Calla Hughes Nic Aoidh, takes the comedy to another level. Infact, the scenes involving just Meghan and Calla together are among the funniest.
Conor O’Donnell hams it up as Algy
Likewise, the sexual tension between governess Miss Prism (Jo Donnelly) and Rev Canon Chasuble (Marty Maguire) are another highlight, plus any appearances from butler(s) Merriman and Lane (Neil Keery) are timely and on point.
Add some vaudeville and a slice of Gilbert and Sullivan and you have a great night out.
The Importance of Being Earnest runs until July 6. Ticket information here.
