Date: Fri 21-May-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: SARAH

Quick Words:

Wilde-Earnest-Long-Wharf-Stern

Full Text:

THEATRE REVIEW: Wilde's Best Receives Worthy Treatment

(with cut)

By Julie Stern

NEW HAVEN -- If you're not too upright to appreciate good Bunberrying, you'll

really enjoy Long Wharf's delightful rendition of Oscar Wilde's most famous

and successful play, The Importance of Being Earnest.

So what is Bunberrying? It's the invention of a good cover story which enables

one to take a holiday from tiresome social responsibilities. Whenever Algernon

Moncrief can no longer bear the tedium of the oppressive London dinner parties

thrown by his aunt, Lady Bracknell, he takes off for parts unknown, to visit

his "poor invalid friend, Bunberry," who has an uncanny capacity for

retreating from the brink of death until Algernon needs him the next time.

Similarly, when Algernon's friend John (Jack) Worthing J.P. begins to feel

oppressed from having to live up to the role as the straitlaced and dignified

guardian to Cecily, the pretty young granddaughter of his dead benefactor, he

invents a younger brother, Earnest, whose scandalous behavior requires Jack to

rush up to London in order to effect damage control.

In his London persona, as Earnest Worthing, Jack falls madly in love with Lady

Bracknell's daughter, Gwendolyn, and she with him. However, there are two

serious complications threatening this romance. First, Gwendolyn explains that

what most attracts her to Jack's alter ego is his name: she has always vowed

to love a man named Earnest.

Secondly, and marginally important, Lady Bracknell refuses to accept him

because he is a foundling. While the benefactor who adopted him endowed Jack

with both education and money, the fact remains he was discovered in a handbag

that was left in the cloakroom at Victoria Station. Lady Bracknell refuses to

entertain the thought of an alliance with a public conveyance.

Meanwhile, to get away from his aunt, on whom he is financially dependent,

Algernon invokes another summons from Bunberry and goes off to the country,

looking to meet Jack's ward, Cecily. When he arrives, he introduces himself as

the reprobate younger brother, Earnest. Algy is immediately smitten with the

sprightly Cecily, who confesses that she too has long since fallen in love

with him, from hearing Uncle Jack's stories about his bad brother. Above all,

she explains, it is his name that attracts her.

This play is about as serious as the Marx Brothers. In Wilde's eyes, the great

social virtue was to be amusing and entertaining, done through cleverness and

verbal wit. His play is a tour de force of devastating one-liners and retorts.

If you are a particularly concrete thinker who takes every sentence literally,

you may wonder why the audience keeps laughing, but otherwise you will be

laughing with them.

The Long Wharf production is dazzling, from Hugh Landwehr's elaborate sets,

conveying both the city and the country ambience in turn, through Doug Hughes'

deft direction, which ensures that the body language of his players

underscores the impact of their lines.

Christopher Even Welch is a hoot as the shameless Algy, and Jefferson Mays is

properly severe in his country role as Uncle Jack, especially when he arrives

in deep mourning to announce the "death" of his troublesome brother, only to

learn the good news that Earnest has just arrived for a visit of indeterminate

length.

Lady Bracknell is played with haughty effectiveness by Edward Hibbert, and

Margaret Welsh and Meg Brogan play the two lively young ladies who place such

great importance on a name. Go see how their problems are ultimately resolved

and enjoy one of the great comedies of all times.

(Performances continue until June 6. For ticket info, curtain times or other

information, contact Long Wharf's box office at 787-4828.)