Crisp production revels in vicious satire and dazzling wordplay at classic’s heart.

The enduring appeal of Oscar Wilde’s masterpiece stems from its remarkable ability to be all things to all people. Subtitled "a trivial comedy for serious people", it has always delighted the social class that it so mercilessly satirises and audiences can never be sure whether the play is a frothy amusement or a disturbing piece of philosophy.

A fondness for paradox enlivens the dazzling word play which has the world’s cleverest writer declaring he is sick to death of cleverness, only to find that a retreat into foolishness leads to even more sophisticated levels of cleverness.

Colin McColl’s marvellous updating of the play is grounded in a deep respect for the text and a willingness to confront the profound strangeness of the work. His crystal clear direction emphasises the collision of opposites with the town and country contrast throwing light on the deeper dichotomies between truth and fiction, style and sincerity, frivolity and earnestness. [More]
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The Auckland Theatre Company’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest rips Oscar Wilde’s undyingly popular comedy from its late Victorian town and country setting and downloads it into a deliciously self-indulgent contemporary ‘bubble of now’.

Still terribly English in its humorous execution of ‘style over substance’, as the lead men adopt fictitious identities to shirk the social expectations of high society, you only have to look at recently murdered millionaire Herman Rockefeller’s exposed double life as an example of how relevant Wilde’s seemingly superficial play is today.

Director Colin McColl extends Wilde’s exposure of the hypocrisy of the upper class through clever language, by fully satirizing the foibles and narcissistic indulgence of his rich and idle characters through their actions as well.

They cut a line, snort cocaine, get stoned, skull regular nips of spirits and grab urgent sex when they can – all while self-assuredly going about their daily routine of superior banter and keeping up appearances, answerable to no one but themselves.

No doubt ex-model Millie Holmes thought her life-style was a similar bulletproof ride before her never-ending fall from grace began. But Earnest’s world is not one to be interrupted by grim realities such as police-raids and vengeful swingers; lord no.

Earnest takes us on a horny, drug-fuelled, witty trip to the world of “Bunburying”, endless parties, instant lust and love for the now – a place void of meaningful responsibilities and social consequence. Even the servants are high.

Each member of McColl’s design team (Set by John Parker; Costumes by Elizabeth Whiting; Lighting by Tony Rabbit and Sound by Eden Mulholland) embraces the limelight and the premise that, “It’s all about me; look at me; don’t I look fabulous and aren’t I having such a splendid time!”

John Parker’s set is a white textured canvas, like a photographer’s studio, adorned with minimal but suitably chic accessories. Parker pushes the stage out wide, giving each of Elizabeth Whiting’s awe-inspiring creations of white and chartreuse with a splash of black, a dramatic entrance on a cat-walk that Project Runway would be proud of.  

Whiting’s Gwendolen is Lady Gaga meets Victoria Beckham in ultra-modern white PVC, showing plenty of flesh. Lisa Chappell adds obsessive texting, calculated flirtations, and a touch of sexual predator, making Gwenolen a scary beast and a force to be reckoned with.

While the cast is uniformly strong, memorable and hugely entertaining to watch as an ensemble, it is the brilliant resonance and full exploitation of Wilde’s every word, that elevates Chappell and Elizabeth Hawthorne (Lady Bracknell) into a class of their own.

With costumes that are so striking that you may not need Fashion Week this year for wardrobe inspiration, plus a delicious cast and creative team, McColl’s The Importance of Being Earnest is guilt-free and fantastic. Be warned though: this production should come with an R18 classification.
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