Playing at triviality
Earnest brings wit to TWU theatre department
October 17, 2006
Lois Dawson
Filled with Victorian romance, mistaken identities, and crazy characters, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest opens the 2006-2007 season for theatre at Trinity Western University.
The play is often considered the wittiest modern script in the English language. It has been performed numerous times in educational, community, and professional productions since its debut in 1895, and is a part of required reading for many of TWU’s English 104 classes. But this production is probably a little bit different than what is often seen.
The setting is “almost period, but with a quirky, whimsical twist,” said director Angela Konrad. The story is of two men, Jack (John Voth) and Algernon (Thomas Gage), each of whom have an imaginary companion named Earnest that they use to move easily between the city and the country. Trouble arises when Gwendolyn (Amanda Hart), Algernon’s cousin, falls in love with Jack, believing him to be Earnest. At the same time, Jack’s ward, Cecily (Laura VanDyke), falls for Algernon, believing him to be Earnest. The characters work their way out of the confusion with verbal wit, surprise twists, and a lot of cucumber sandwiches.
“[Algernon is] just really hungry for attention,” said Gage, a fourth year Theatre major. “He’ll go to any lengths to find it, including creating an imaginary friend.”
Games are the key force driving this production. The set is painted as a giant chessboard and crossword puzzle, and each act opens with the characters playing a different game. But the games these characters play for fun cross over into their personal lives, too.
“The characters are always playing games with each other to get what they want,” said Konrad.
“The TWU community is known to take everything seriously, but there really are great things about triviality,” said Gage. “Hopefully people will come and won’t take this play too seriously, won’t come to be preached to, won’t come expecting a huge life lesson but…[will] come to have fun and just enjoy the characters.”
Like The Ristretto Proposal, last spring’s wildly successful play, this romantic comedy is also full of laughs. Within the play, all serious matters are treated with the mildest of concern. You’ll have fun watching the play because it’s so obvious that everyone involved is having a great time.
The show also features Rebecca Branscom as Lady Bracknell, Jackie Faulkner as Miss Prism, Joshua McFaul as Dr. Chasuble and Jordaan Montes as Lane and Merriman, with stage management by Hilary McPherson.
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