A classic comedy of manners…
The most renowned of Oscar Wilde’s comedies tells the story of two bachelors, John ‘Jack’ Worthing and Algernon ‘Algy’ Moncrieff, who create alter egos named Ernest to escape their tiresome lives. They attempt to win the hearts of Gwendolyn and Cecily, two women who, conveniently, claim to only love men called Ernest. The pair become tangled in a tale of deception, disguise and misadventure. This classic comedy of manners pokes fun at Victorian sensibilities with some of the best loved characters to be found on the modern stage. Our production features Christy Brandt as Lady Bracknell and Annie Butler as Miss Prism.
Classic, Comedy, Farce, Romance

Director’s Note

In an early meeting with one of Earnest’s designers, he half-jokingly asked if I planned to set this play in a completely different decade, like the 1970s. After we shared a laugh, I reassured him I was not.

The Importance of Being Earnest is arguably Oscar Wilde’s most famous play and was considered a contemporary comedy when it premiered in London in 1895. It was witty and outwardly trivial but specifically satirized the social behaviors of the late-Victorian era, something Wilde was critical of but also participated in with his grandiosity and over-the-top fashion. To take the story out of the societal restrictions of the time makes it tremendously less effective.

I was also interested in how we respond to societal expectations throughout time. In the Victorian upper classes, people were trained from birth in the strict rules of behavior. They were also constantly observed by a multitude of servants at home and others while out in society.How do people behave when they’re aware of being observed? This is not unlike social media today. Though our in-person interactions are sadly more limited, we curate our lives with flattering photos of ourselves and experiences, projecting the appearance of a perfect and
beautiful life.

Whether in 1895 or 2024, at the heart of it, we’re all just humans who have feelings. And we still have codes of behavior we’re beholden to, whether it’s maintaining the crisp line of your suit coat or a perfectly timed Instagram post of your partner gazing upon a glorious sunset.

Most importantly, however, this play is fun. It’s a delight to perform, everything looks amazing, and there’s a happy ending. I hope you leave the theatre feeling giddy and entertained. I also hope that maybe you put away your phone and enjoy your time with other people— because that’s what it’s really about.