Cappies Review: Oakcrest Production of 'The Importance of Being Earnest'

By Jessica Dallessandro of Oakton High School

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” performed at Oakcrest School, combines witty banter and vivid expression into a feel-good piece of theater.

The show, written by Oscar Wilde in 1895, follows Mr. John Worthing (Jill Collins), a foundling left in a suitcase when he was a baby, as he attempts to win the hand in marriage of Honorable Gwendolyn Fairfax (Mary Cate Diederich) by reinventing himself as a top tier aristocrat.

He claims to be named Earnest, and a dear friend of Mr. Algernon Moncrieff (an exceptional performance by Grace Pluta). This is his only choice, as Gwendolyn would not marry a man with any other name. Algernon discovers, however, that John is living a double life in the country.

He travels to John’s country home and pretends to be John’s brother Earnest, winning the heart of Miss Cecily Cardew (Sofia Lulli). When Gwendolyn and Cecily meet, and believe they are both in love with the same Earnest, chaos ensues before John’s lies are revealed. Gwendolyn’s mother

(Maeve Ponticiello) then reveals that John/Earnest is the son of her brother, before the women forgive their lovers and all is well. As it turns out, John’s true birth name really is Earnest. A complicated plotline, but delivered with excellent comedic timing and delicious chemistry between the principle characters.

Among the most impressive aspects of the play was the all female cast, and their transformation into male characters. Jill Collins as Mr. Worthing exemplified this shift, carrying herself with masculine posture and inserting mannerisms that made her role believable. Character development throughout the show took time, but many actors brought an exciting twist to their role with every scene.

Sofia Lulli, as lovely Cecily Cardew, spoke with innate naiveté and innocence, adding a charismatic appeal to the part. Miss Prism (A standout performance by Erin Paulson) used a clever and consistent accent that brought new energy to the stage. The ensemble of servants, while sometimes a bit distracting, inserted themselves cleanly into their scenes. Chemistry between pairs of actors, such as Earnest/Algernon and Algernon/Cecily, was interesting and dynamic, even when the pair was not meant to be the focus of attention. There were scenes when the actors’ diction and pacing needed refinement, but their timing was comedic and fun to watch.

The show’s other extremely impressive aspect was that it was not performed on a traditional stage, but in a church. As a result, every actor was on a body microphone, flawlessly switched around between scenes with careful sound monitoring by Maria Kehrli. The sets from both acts were gorgeously executed, hand painted by members of the crew, though not always true to the time period of the play. The transformation from men to women was not always clean in terms of the costuming and hair, though it was apparent and nicely done. Prop work, done by Alexis Miller, was detailed and beautiful, including the edible cucumber sandwiches and muffins.

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” presented it’s actors with an abundance of amusing dialogue, well executed with increasingly smooth flow as the show developed. The characters were well explored and satirically authentic, while the technical elements added a new, sublime dimension to the show. A truly well done performance by the cast and crew, enjoyable and entertaining from beginning to end.

by Jessica Dallessandro of Oakton High School