In my essay on the Roundabout Theatre’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest we saw in New York earlier this year, I expounded on the importance of being earnest when playing this play. This ASC production had that earnestness throughout the entire cast, but it also had one thing that no other production I’ve seen was equal to: the Blackfriars Theatre. With an audience on three sides and even sitting on the stage itself, the players engaged in a threefold dynamic: player to Wilde, player to player, and player to audience.

The ASC veterans, in particular, were crackling whips in their repartees and timing.  When Benjamin Curns’ Algernon threw out the information that thanks to his imaginary friend, Bunbury, he and Jack Worthing would be able to dine at the Savoy that night, René Thornton Jr.’s Jack paused a moment trying to piece together all of these confusing threads and replied, “I haven’t asked you to dine with me anywhere tonight.” “I know,” Algernon quickly returned, patting his counterpoint on the chest: “You are absurdly careless about sending out invitations. It is very foolish of you.” Curns paused for the laugh, then finished with “Nothing annoys people so much as not receiving invitations” for yet another laugh. Furthermore, only actors with complete trust in each other could get their characters into a vehement argument over muffins and have the audience accepting every word as truth.

Read the FULL REVIEW HERE...

For best seats order The Importance of Being Earnest tickets now.

< Back