CSC Theatre plays ‘Wilde’

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” by Oscar Wilde, is a comedy of manners that mocks Victorian society, an age of ideals. The CSC Theatre Department did a fine job bringing this satirical comedy to life through the actors’ solid performances. Additionally, the costumes generally reflected the characters’ personalities, while the sets reflected the parallel plot construction.

In this play, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, two friends, lead double lives as they attempt to escape social responsibility and pursue two women.  Jack proposes to a young woman named Gwendolyn, but her mother refuses him due to the questions surrounding his family and real identity. Meanwhile, Algernon falls in love with Jack’s ward Cecily, against Jack’s wishes. Hilarity ensures as both men adopt different identities to win the two women.

The actors in this play did an admirable job memorizing the difficult lines and keeping up with the fast-paced dialogue while mostly maintaining their British accents. The timing of their line delivery was accurate and added to the play’s humor, which came mainly from the witty dialogue.

Shannon Smay did an excellent job portraying the dandy Algernon Moncrieff.  His facial expressions and accent brought the amusing character to life.

Marty Lastovica, who played Jack Worthing, brought an earnestness to the serious and volatile character. While he did a good job portraying Jack’s double life, his accent was inconsistent.

Shalee Jones made a formidable Lady Bracknell. Her diction was very clear, even though she didn’t have much of an accent.

Asha Martin portrayed Cecily Cardew as an energetic and fanciful young girl; however, sometimes Cecily’s energetic nature seemed too forceful.

The costumes are mostly historically accurate and show the differences in the characters’ personalities. The contrast between Jack’s plain black clothes and Algernon’s shockingly plaid pants reveals the contrast in their characters. The contrast between Gwendolyn’s elaborate dress and Cecily’s much simpler dress also reflects their personalities: Gwendolyn is spoiled and pretentious, while Cecily is simple and naïve. However, Lady’s Bracknell’s first costume is out of place compared to the other upper-class costumes. Her platinum blond curls, rouge, and purple and scarlet dress make her look like a woman from the lower class of a questionable occupation.

The sets are appropriate for play’s time period and allow for smooth transitions between scenes. The arrangement of the props reflects parallels in the plot. The similar arrangement of furniture in Algernon’s and Jack’s houses reflects the parallels in their lives. Both men are in love with a woman they cannot have whom they court under the pretenses of being someone else. All these similarities foreshadow a later revelation about their relationship.

Audiences will need to pay attention to catch some of the humor and keep up with the fast-paced dialogue and circuitous plot. CSC’s Theater Department’s production of this play will keep audiences amused and engaged.