The Importance of Being Earnest

The genteel world of old-world manners, lazy afternoon teas, cucumber sandwiches and class hypocrisy graced The Rondo in this production of Oscar Wilde’s iconic play. Set in the round amidst appropriate settings, the period costumed actors transported the audience back to another age.

Starring was Kurtis Lowden as Algernon Moncrieff. His acting and wonderful Victorian mannerisms would have you believe he had stepped straight out of a time vault. Matching him in almost every respect was Barry McGinley as Jack Worthing. Both actors played the lazy, layabout Victorian cads to perfection.

Heather Baker was suitably gorgeous as Gwendolen as was Alice Bosanquet as the love-struck Cecily Cardew. Cath Willacy’s Lady Bracknell was more of a quieter, measured Lady Bracknell and not the verbose character that is normally associated with the role. All the ladies gave the impression that they were born to wealth and privilege such was the high standard of acting.   

Playing supporting roles were Debbie Dean as the flustered Miss Prism and Kier Shorey as a very believably restrained Reverend Chasuble. Paul Hynes as Merriman and Joshua Holt as Lane completed the cast.

The element of farce increased with every scene enhanced by the excellent comedy acting of Lowden, McGinley and Willacy. The play moved smoothly through three locations, but got a little crowded in the final scene in the drawing room of the Manor House.

The costuming was what you would expect from a Rondo production as was the directing by Kevin Shorey. All in all a fine production of a theatre classic.

Ken Cotterill

Image: Kurtis Lowden as Algernon and Alice Bosanquet as Cecily. Photographer: Paul Barton.