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August 2005
The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest

Thursday 18 August - Saturday 10 September

Oxford Playhouse
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George Tew

To give away too much about the plot of the wonderfully light and witty comedy The Importance of Being Earnest would be to spoil it. Suffice to say that it has all the features of a good, old-fashioned comedy - young love, mistaken identity, unexpected revelations, and everyone living happy ever after in a most satisfactory way. It features, of course, theatre's most famous handbag, and does indeed hinge on the vital importance of having a particular Christian name.

Sally Philips plays Gwendolen
Sally Philips plays Gwendolen

As well as a perfectly constructed plot, the chief attraction of this work is the dialogue: elegant, clever and above all very funny. I can't think of another play where every third or fourth line gets such a laugh. The incomparable Lady Bracknell delivers some of the most acidic putdowns you will ever hear, and the sparring between the principal characters is sheer perfection. It would be tiring if everyone was so brilliantly witty in real life, but it's hugely enjoyable to spend three hours in the company of such verbal virtuosity.

This is a fine production of a classic work. The cast hit just the right note of stylish sophistication and brio, and even the minor role of the manservant, Lane, is very amusingly portrayed. The sets are particularly striking, pleasingly capturing the brightness of the piece with a few bold and simple touches, and avoiding the unnecessary period clutter of stuffy drawing rooms and the like.

Oscar Wilde's best-known work, this is a pleasure from start to finish. The play opens a window into a sunnier, happier world. Make sure you see it before it closes.

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