★★★★★
…Earnest? is marketed as Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest meets The Play That Goes Wrong, and as actors fail to show up, injure themselves, or are otherwise indisposed, audience members are called upon to stand in.
The play is written by Simon Paris and Josh King, with Paris also directing and producing. It has set design by Trynity Silk, lighting design by Catja Hamilton, sound design by Max Pappenheim, costume design by Libby Watson, and media and design by Mann Bros. The company is made up of Judith Amsenga, Ashley Cavender, Guido Garcia Lueches, Josh Haberfield, Trynity Silk, Ben Mann, and Rhys Tees.
Although the show has a bit of an awkward teething period as “director” Simon Slough (Josh Haberfield) takes his time scouring the audience for someone to stand in for Earnest, when the new cast falls into place (sometimes literally) the rest of the show is outrageously funny, and definitely worth the wait.
The show begins with Algernon (Guido Garcia Lueches) and Lane (Rhys Tees) exchanging the witty dialogue of Wilde’s original play. They get some laughs, and while this version doesn’t quite match the polished exuberance of the recent National Theatre production, one quickly realises this isn’t the point — this is a very different show. Say It Again, Sorry? want us to have fun and have a part in the show, and when we’re prompted to acknowledge a meaningful anniversary and sing Happy 130th Birthday to the play, we have little choice but to give in.
In …Earnest? the actors adopt a clownish quality which holds the performance together as audience members grapple with their new roles. In fact, I reckon the recency of productions of The Importance of Being Earnest may well be convenient timing for this production, as with an understanding of Wilde’s play the audience can better appreciate the chaotic and unscripted deviations from it.
It’s hard to guess whether this show is as fun every night. The cast are great, and their physical theatre and quick wit are absolutely the glue which holds the piece together. But the success of the show surely depends on the audience participants being good sports? Luckily ours absolutely were. Shout out to Rory and Francis, who stood in to play Earnest and Cecily!
I don’t want to give too much away but there were some really nice touches which made the show that much better. The programme is a clever little addition to the show, with one side belonging to the production of The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by fictional director Simon Slough, which was “supposed” to happen, and the reverse revealing to us the comic minds behind the partially improvised …Earnest?
Also, closing the show with the song which Rory mentioned in the first act was a really nice callback and seeing a cast of characters in Victorian dress dance to Shaggy’s ‘It Wasn’t Me’ was amusing to say the least. I also haven’t wrapped my head around how the framed portrait of the original Earnest’s face (Ashley Cavender) magically transformed into Rory’s in the final moments of the show.
While the fantastic Richmond Theatre certainly made an attractive home for …Earnest?, I’d love to see it again anywhere. It was a riot. And with a new cast and new improv every time, I don’t think this show will be tired out any time soon. As for 12th June’s performance, it’s safe to say, I won’t soon forget the vital importance of being Anoushka.
…Earnest? transfers to Underbelly George Square, as part of Edinburgh Fringe Festival, from July 30th to August 25th – the last stop of its UK tour.
Photo: Mark Senior
JADAR 