The Importance of Being Earnest

[Parks]

Posted: 11/2/04 at 10:55pm

Eh..anyone seen this show? I saw it on Friday at Dallas Theater and thought it was..ok. It wasn't great-I mean..it was a rather dull show in my opinion.. but the man who played Alge..whatever his name is-was incredible.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/2/04 at 11:33pm

This is, when well done, perhaps the greatest and funniest comedy in the English language, even to this day. An outrageously hilarious satire on the entire English class system and at the same time a raucous drawing room comedy, it can be, with a great cast led by a great director who understands the style and the manner in which the dozens of Wilde one-line gems should be delivered, I am hard-pressed a funnier comedy.

Check out the 1950s film version of the play with the great Dame Edith Evans if you can.

Updated On: 11/2/04 at 11:33 PM

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 11/2/04 at 11:34pm

I tried reading the play and i couldnt get into it. Maybe the humor went over my head, but to me it was boring.

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 11/2/04 at 11:49pm

I think its one of those shows you need to see live to really appreciate. At least thats how it was for me. MSU did a production of it last fall and it was hysterically funny. The movie version with Colin Firth and Rupert Everett is pretty good, too.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 12:16am

That film version was terrible (and Judi Dench should be ashamed -- she and Rupert and Colin somehow forget that they were doing a comedy.... and Mme Dench should have known better).........

Find the film version with Dame Edith Evans, Sir Michael Redgrave, Jane Greenwood et al ..... after you've watched that, then try and tell me the play is boring..........................

Updated On: 11/3/04 at 12:16 AM

[sean martin]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 1:43am

Even better, if I may add, is the radio recording that starred the cast that went on to make the film. When she says "A HANDBAG???", I swear she broke the microphone.

It's a marvelous play, but like so many things, an acquired taste, in some respects. It's a comedy about language, not people slamming doors. And if you dont like plays about language, you wont like EARNEST.

Of course, you probably dont like Shakespeare either, but that's just a guess. :)

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 2:08am

I love Oscar Wilde. I also think that TAMING OF THE SHREW is hillarious.

[Parks]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 8:00am

lol...I'm afraid a few of the jokes were way over my head too. My friend and I (15 years old), were doing the "way over my head" hand motion through-out the whole show. When the audience would laugh, we'd...pretend to get it and just laugh in a very sarcastic way. haha-I did get many of the jokes in Act II though.. My favorite line from the show was when the woman's mother says something like, "Oh, 1 parent lost seems like a missfortune..2 parents lost seems...irresponisble."

[Fair 2 Middlin]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:40am

"To lose one parent, Mr Worthing may be regarded as misfortune,
To lose both looks like carelessness."

Hands down, my favorite play.

Updated On: 11/3/04 at 09:40 AM

[sean martin]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:30am

The thing is, Parks, is that it isn't a "joke" play. There are hysterical lines, such as the one you mention, but they're not jokes per se. They're taking an already absurd situation and pushing it to its completely illogical limits, and because of that, it's a riot. During the whole scene where Jack is interviewed by Lady Bracknell and the discussion of his supposed abandonment comes up, he points out that the place where he was left was on the Brighton Line, with the implication that this is a truly good (read "upscale") rail line. Her response -- "The line is immaterial!" -- in context is incredibly funny, even though I'd be really hard pressed to tell you why. It just is.

It's a shame we dont have folks who toy with the language with the same style Wilde did. It's tough writing because in order for it to work, you have to make it sound like it was passed off as a slight bauble of a bon mot. That's hard to do. Probably the closest thing we have (or had, rather) is WHAT THE BUTLER SAW and almost anything from the early career of Tom Stoppard (from the days of JUMPERS and TRAVESTIES, before he got too serious about himself).

[WOSQ]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:40am

I read one critic who called Earnest a rare "perfect play", meaning that everything was on the page and all the actors had to do was do it well. There is nothing for the actors and director to bring to this script but their talent.

It is not 'actor-proof' however. [Shaw's "You Never Can Tell" is actor-proof. Even he said that.] There must be intelligent actors, but the play is all there.

Wish I'd said that.

NY is overdue for a major production of Earnest. The last one was at Circle in the Square in the late 70s.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:49am

Unfortunately, I saw the original film version first and have never seen a stage production that could do the show justice. I watched about 15 minutes of the new film and turned it off. I've pretty much given up on any production other than the original film, which is simply perfect.

[magruder]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:58am

Lynn Redgrave does a priceless impression of Dame Edith Evans' immortal line reading of "a hannnnnnndbaaaaaaaag????" (And wouldn't Lynn Redgrave make a helluva Lady Bracknell?)

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 11:15am

Old British comedy is something you either "get" or you don't. It's certainly not suited to young Americans of today, although I happen to love it!

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 12:30pm

I looooove IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, but when I first saw it at age 19, I didn't get it, either. Wilde takes time.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 2:40pm

Read the story in English lit class. Very funny.

Posted: 11/3/04 at 6:03pm

I saw this performed over the summer at a theatre in Dublin and thought it was well done, as did much of the group I was with, but some of it was over the younger kids heads and some could not get into it, but if you give it a chance and it is well done its good

Posted: 11/3/04 at 6:10pm

Oh Damn! I've butter on my cuffs!