Review: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at Antaeus Theatre Company

Irish author Oscar Wilde has written some of the most enduring theater and novels of all time, including this, the fourth of his four drawing-room plays (capping off “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” “A Woman of No Importance,” and “An Ideal Husband”), which is likely his most enduring work of all aside from his gothic horror novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” which is as ageless as its protagonist.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, however, is about as far from “Gray” as you can get, being a charming, breezy — if a bit convoluted — romp through “Three’s Company”–type misunderstandings and underhanded shenanigans all in the name of love. When two friends, John Worthing (Alex Barlas) and Algernon Moncrieff (Jay Lee), in late 1800s England, pretend to be other people to woo their loves, both taking on the pseudonym “Ernest,” they set in motion countless consequences that illustrate that the road to a happy ending is often rocky.

Premiering in 1895 and having been performed throughout the past century on stage, on radio, on television, and in films, operas, and musicals, EARNEST has lost none of its appeal, the dialogue still crisp and clever, the bons mots fresh and zingy. Director Gigi Bermingham keeps the energy up unflaggingly, keeping the story moving at lightning pace and drawing fantastically assured performances from her actors across the board. Barlas is sweetly appealing as the befuddled Worthing, while his sparring partner, Lee, is as dapper as he is devious. Anne Gee Byrd, as domineering Lady Bracknell gives Maggie Smith a run for her “Downton Abbey” money with her condescending sneer and withering assessments. Jules Willcox as Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax, the object of Worthing’s affection doesn’t hit a false note, whether she’s an aristocrat with steely resolve or an aristocrat falling into buffoonery, and Alessandra Mañon as Cecily Cardew, Worthing’s young ward, is all impish delight.

The strongest part of the book is that each character is richly and fully realized, no matter how small the role. (To wit, Bo Foxworth as the Rev. Canon Chasuble does a lot his supporting presence, getting hearty laughs from the slightest tweaks of expression as do Julia Fletcher as a prim governess and Michael Yapujian as two droll butlers.) Wilde’s words, though firmly set in his time, are also timeless, accessible to modern audiences without hurdle. In addition to the inspired directing and quippy script, scenic designer Angela Balogh Calin crafted stately sets — first Algernon’s London flat and later the garden of a country house — and the costumes by designer Julie Keen are handsomely tailored, giving the show a visual richness and texture that is eye-popping.

The Antaeus is known and celebrated for taking on challenging material — both classic and contemporary — and while THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST is screwball, it is not without weight. The best comedies have depth and the Antaeus informs it with all the right beats. Sometimes you just want a solidly fun ride and that’s what you get with EARNEST. It buzzes with fizzy energy that will take you away from our troubled times for a couple of hours.

Photos by Jeff Lorch

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST is performed at the Antaeus Theatre Company at the Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center, 110 East Broadway, Glendale, through November 18. Tickets are available at ci.ovationtix.com/35088/production/1160701.

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