Flawless performance of Wilde’s classic
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Performed by Tread the Boards at The Rother Street Arts House, Stratford, from 19 to 22 August. Directed by John-Robert Partridge.
Review by Charles Essex.
The Importance of Being Earnest was Wilde’s last play and often considered to be his best. Tread the Boards delivered an outstanding piece of theatre – the script is inevitably as sharp as a tack, the direction is astute in doing full justice to the witty dialogue, and the ideal casting means that this is a flawless performance.
There is terrific chemistry in so many of the relationships on stage. George Ormerod and John-Robert Partridge (JP) play friends Algernon and John, respectively. Despite their bickering and mockery towards one another, they portray the affection and warmth found in a long term friendship. The opening scene reveals their double lives, as Algie avoids unwanted social engagements or anything that interferes with his hedonistic lifestyle by claiming to have an imaginary relative whom he must see. John goes by one name in the countryside, where he behaves impeccably to set a moral example to his young ward Cecily (Emily Tietz), and a different name in London where he can be more decadent.
John is in love with Algie’s cousin Gwendolyn (Alison Hellings), and Algie is determined to meet and woo Cecily. Both young women are obsessed however that any future husband must be called Earnest. It is a tribute to Wilde’s playwriting skills that he manages to weave this implausible plot line into a first rate play that kept the audience enthralled from start to finish. Oh, and the added complication that Gwendolyn’s mother the fearsome battleaxe Lady Bracknell (wonderfully played by Dawn Bush) stands in the way.
Emily and Alison skilfully create the characters of the two young women, with Cecily’s naïve ingenue enthusiasm having been raised in the countryside, and Gwendolyn’s suave sophistication from life in the city. Emily particularly captured Cecily’s innocent passion yet strength of character. George has terrific physicality, energy and facial expressions as he gives a masterclass as he pouts and sulks and tries to manipulate each situation, and JP brings pomp and sobriety to the role of John, as each feels their respective hearts’ desire evading their grasp.
The very experienced Mark Carey brings authenticity to his role as rather bumbling other-worldly Dr Chasuble, the rural vicar. Miss Prism (Melanie Revill) is besotted with him and conveys a combination of infatuation with Dr Chasuble and timidity in the face of severe interrogation by Lady Bracknell.
JP’s direction includes some truly comic moments particularly involving Algie and John, as they almost come to blows, and then do a wonderful Charleston to try to impress Gwendolyn and Cecily. The set changes are accompanied by Tread the Boards’ trade mark relevant music – in this case Ragtime jazz – and the cast’s amusing choreography.
This is the best show in Stratford Town – make sure you see it. Tickets from https://rotherstreetarts.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173690411/events/428870425
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