It seems ironic that the titular lesson of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest has been ignored in the play’s new Arena Stage adaptation. This production is nothing if not overdone, with very little that is either earnest or truthful.
Algernon is a mischievous London playboy whose friend Ernest, who is not all he appears to be, has fallen in love with Algernon’s classy cousin, Gwendolyn. Unfortunately for Ernest, Gwendolyn’s mother is a bastion of social decorum and will not hear of any union between the two. When Algernon finds out that Ernest is not who he claims to be, he too assumes a false identity in order to court Ernest’s young ward, Cecily. False identities, confusion and social conundrums abound as the men fight for the women they love.
Wilde’s comic genius saves this play from complete disaster. His classic script, a collection of one-liners and witticisms tied together by themes of mistaken identities and the absurdity of love, is tinged with sexual innuendos and infused with a stinging irony. Unfortunately, Arena Stage’s production has too many one-dimensional, overplayed characters, silly tricks and garish costumes to do it justice.
The first act of the play is little more than a staged reading. Though the script possesses phenomenal wit, there is a lack of action. The actors struggle to bring some kind of realism to their characters, by accenting each line with flourishes and exaggerated facial gestures. The second and third acts pick up speed to reach a satisfying pace by the end of the production.
Cecily, played by Tymberlee Chanel, is the only star who really shines. Chanel seems to have mastered the overly dramatic portrayal of her character, and is able to enliven young Cecily with pouty, endearing energy. Her character’s acute innocence and youthful excitement is actually believable. The other actors tend to overplay emotions to the extent of turning their characters into caricatures.
Hugh Nees provides a comic foil, playing the butler of both of the central households. Even when he has no lines he makes his presence known with hilarious sound effects. He engages the audience with an understatement that the other characters lack.
Both the set and costumes, designed by Zack Brown, suffer from the same lack of subtlety that afflicts the actors. The set employs a few cheap, pointless tricks. When Cecily waters her garden the flowers shoot up, accompanied by a zipping sound. The costumes, especially those of Gwendolyn and her mother, use nothing but the brightest colors of the rainbow. Cecily’s costume, representing her innocence and purity, is all white and pale flowers, but the other women sport beading and bustles, neon orange and turquoise. The garish outfits contradict the conservatism of 18th century socialites.
In the end, Wilde’s timeless comedy saves the production. Try as the cast and crew might, they simply can not do badly by a play this excellent. Featuring both high points and lows, Arena Stage’s The Importance of Being Earnest is worth seeing at the student price, but that’s about it.
