The Importance of Being Earnest at the Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury Review
The Importance of
Being Earnest
Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury
By Oscar Wilde
6-11 October 2014
Reviewed by Hilary Whates
It is perhaps a little controversial to take one of the most classic of comedies and present it from a hitherto untried perspective. You might like to say daring – but that may be overstating a tad what is being offered here. With a packed house to play to the pressure was certainly on to at least match expectations.
The play begins in the house of the Spellman’s, themselves members of the Bunbury Company of Players and who are hosting the final rehearsal of a play they last performed five years previously – The Importance of Being Earnest. The additional material provided to achieve this variation from a fabulous classic was written by Simon Brett in his own style rather than emulating the great master. This creates a clear distinction between the ‘new’ and the ‘actual’ and as the play progresses all but vanishes apart from a few asides now and then – chiefly a wink from Nigel Havers. Why has this been done? Chiefly one feels to provide a vehicle for including actors considerably more mature in age than the characters they are playing calls for, and perhaps also to acknowledge that here is a well-loved play that is indeed in reality portrayed by members of local amateur dramatic societies whose repertoire of talent may well require imaginative use of age and gender.
I had forgotten how much I love the writing and will definitely be reading the play again soon – just for the sheer enjoyment of the words. Brilliantly clever, observational and funny. The somewhat complicated plot focuses around Jack Worthing (Martin Jarvis) who is madly in love with Gewndolen Fairfax (Cherie Lunghi) daughter of the abrasive Lady Bracknell (magnificently portrayed by Sian Phillips) and cousin to Jack’s friend Algernon (Nigel Havers). Jarvis and Havers are reprising the roles which they had performed (in real life!) in the early 1980s, when their ages and that of their characters were a little closer together.
Upon hearing that Jack (or rather Earnest) had no idea about his parentage (“To lose one parent, Mr Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness”), Lady Bracknell is even more horrified to hear that he was discovered in “A Handbag!!” at Victoria Station and forbids him to marry his beloved Gwendolen. Meanwhile Algy – having learnt that his friend Jack (Earnest) has a young and attractive ward by the name of Cecily (Christine Kavanagh) living at his country house makes plans to visit in the guise of Jack’s fictitious and wicked brother Earnest. For a week.
For all three scenes the action takes place within a magnificent country house setting (beautifully designed by William Dudley) – yet another house that I would like to move into. I loved Patrick Godfrey playing both the butler and the manservant – understated and very amusing – bringing such a measured air of disdain and resignation to his lot. The Reverend Rev Canon Chausable, very effectively played by Niall Bugby is excitedly but cautiously pursued by the prim and proper Miss Prism – a faultless performance delivered by Rosalind Ayres. As the whole draws to its inevitable and very satisfactory conclusion one is left to reflect on how Oscar Wilde may have felt about this version of his marvellous play.
Without doubt the second half of the play was the most entertaining but indeed the whole evening was extremely enjoyable and I would certainly recommend going to see for yourself. This is a cast who know the play well and deliver each line with panache.
A great evening out!
Rating: 4/5
Tickets cost from £11.90 to £37.90 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).
The Importance of Being Earnest is at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury until 11 October 2014. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0844 871 7607.
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1UG
