The Importance of Being Earnest at school
Last week’s three-night run of Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, was a triumph for the High School players and their producer, Heather Johnston. Stylish, assured and lovely to look at, the production moved smoothly through the vastly wordy script and gave full value to Wilde’s mordant wit. Played for laughs, it threw in a vast amount of small business that gave every character things to do and added immensely to the fun, but there was a nod of respect for Wilde’s underlying indignation at the snobbery and massive self-indulgence of the rich. This waspish mixture has always given the play a ‘bite’ that raises it above farce level, though the overall touch remains light and totally unsentimental.
Every part, including such minor ones as the servants, demanded real stage presence, and the players rose to the challenge magnificently. Scott Barbour’s Jack had a perceptive touch of insecurity that made him the perfect foil to the cheerfully decadent Algy, brilliantly played by Chris Jenks, while Catherine McEachern was a slender, exquisitely poised and slightly waspish Gwendolyn. Katherine O’Donnelly as Cecily was pure strawberries and cream, innocent, happy and adorable, while Kirsty McAllister’s Lady Bracknell loomed like a large thunderstorm, causing ripples of terror wherever her presence was threatened. She opted for quite a fast delivery, which was not always easy to pull off while remaining magisterial, but had great presence.
Iona Flewitt, in the pivotal role of Miss Prism, pulled off a very difficult trick in being simultaneously goofy, ludicrous and deeply vulnerable. She, who has an unsuspected double depth and a hidden past, is the only one who knows why an abandoned baby was left in a handbag at Victoria station, and Iona brought a very perceptive vulnerability to the part, coupled with matchless comic timing. David Gillingham provided a solid, baffled presence at Dr Chasuble and Mollie Hodkinson played Merriman with cheerful, adroit assurance, as did Robbie Bayne, Emily Moore and Lauren McAllister, providing solid, credible supporting performances.
The starring roles were memorable. Chris Jenks, debonair, self-indulgent and ineffably light-hearted, displayed astonishing stage-craft in the difficult job of constant eating while talking. Not many people can retain ineffable charm while stuffing down muffins at top speed, but Chris could, and did. In his scenes with the beautiful Katherine O’Donnelly, the pair of them had perfectly balanced stage movement, quick and light but with absolute certainty while speaking. They both have the valued quality of stillness, and are already young professionals with a lot of experience behind them and, one feels sure, a dazzling career ahead.
Overall, everyone concerned in this production is to be congratulated. The stage build looked lovely, it was beautifully dressed and, most impressively, the massive script seemed to present no problems though everyone had done an enormous learn. An impressive achievement, and a thoroughly enjoyable evening for the packed and rapturous audience.
