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Stone Soup's The Importance of
Being Earnest Was Another Gem

I became a fan of Stone Soup Theatre Company nearly a year ago, after attending their production of Romeo and Juliet. Subsequent productions of The Spitfire Grill, Godspell, and Guys on Ice were just as impressive, so my expectations were naturally high for their production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. I am pleased to state that this show was another true gem.

The choice of Chapel Hill's Honeysuckle Tea House as a venue was solid, as was the choice to stage the play with audience on three sides.

A successful production of The Importance of Being Earnest requires a brisk pace, with smooth transitions; and director Lily Vance and the cast do a great job of delivering a nonstop laughfest, an endless parade of welcome silliness. I spent the entire two hours with a goofy grin pasted on my face (interrupted only by my frequent outbursts of laughter).

Another "must" for Earnest to succeed: Every line of the dialogue (no matter how blatantly ridiculous) must be delivered straight-faced and with the utmost sincerity. In short, there is a vital importance in requiring that the frivolous, the nonsensical, the preposterous, and the idiotic all be delivered "in earnest." Again, Vance's cast can claim "mission accomplished."

The Play:

Trying to offer a thumbnail sketch of this play is about as daunting as trying to summarize the 1970s TV soap opera spoof Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

The full name of Oscar Wilde's play is The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People, and it's a witty parody of life in the Victorian era's upper classes, a satire of that age's norms and their "sacred cows."

We witness a lot of "doubling."

One doubling is in the two romantic comedy plots: the Algernon-Cecily plot and the Ernest-Gwendolen plot. Each plot has its own "blocking agent." Lady Bracknell (Gwendolen Fairfax's formidable mother) stands in the way of "Ernest Worthing" (the pseudonym adopted by Jack Worthing) and Gwendolen; and Cecily Cardew's "Uncle Jack" (who pretends to be Ernest) is the impediment to Algernon Moncrieff and Cecily.

Also, Algernon and Ernest both lead "double lives" as they try (in earnest) to shirk their responsibilities, and the resulting intersection of their escapades leads to hysterically funny moments.

Identity also becomes an issue, and so does naming. Jack has introduced himself to Gwendolen as "Ernest." Algernon has likewise assumed the name of "Ernest" in his pursuit of Cecily. When it becomes an issue that both young ladies are infatuated with the idea of marrying an "Ernest," each of the men arranges to be christened "Ernest," by Dr. Chasuble (the local clergyman), and we nearly have a double christening.

Another doubling is in the two settings -- Algernon's flat in London and Jack/Ernest's country estate. Each setting has a butler, and -- yes -- one actor doubles in those roles.

And then there are the plots that involve a lost baby, a disappearing nursemaid, a handbag, the manuscript of a "three-volume novel," and a governess who is in love with the clergyman.

And we can't forget the fine art of "bunburying," Algernon's signature method of "getting away from it all."

The Acting:

It takes a lot of skill to speak silly lines with smooth-tongued sincerity; and this cast not only has the necessary skill, they flaunt it. Their posturing and posing are also phenomenal. This is a true ensemble that knows how to work (and play) together.

Joe Nussbaum (as Algernon Moncrieff) and Reid Harding Cater (as Jack/Ernest Worthing) are a perfect match. The joie de vivre of both characters "runneth over," as does each man's earnest adherence to his hedonistic lifestyle.

Meredyth "Molly" Albright (as Gwendolen Fairfax) and Georgia Bean (as Cecily Cardew) have both got all the right moves for the role of "love interest" in the upper-crust society of the time.

John Adams (as Dr. Chasuble) and Cecilia Lindgren (as Miss Prism) both appropriately underplay their roles just enough to avoid stealing focus from the principal characters.

The King Teen (as both butlers -- Lane and Merriman) has mastered the exaggerated stoic stiffness and the deadpan delivery necessary for Wilde's spoof of the profession of butlery.

Leanne Bernard (as Lady Bracknell) is a force of nature. This Victorian era dowager knows her power and is not afraid to use it. Bernard's timing, diction, and inflection all contribute to a polished performance. Gestures, expressions, and even eye movements all contribute to the "pose" that Lady Bracknell constantly strikes.

The Tech:

Costume designer Lisa Hess has produced perfectly pleasing period pieces; style and choice of color are both on point. And she is backed up by wardrobe manager Joanne Weiss-Vance, who heads up a team of "sewists": Sarabeth Hess, Beth Keena, and Sarah Lee. The "look" is perfected by the contributions of Vika Flanagan-Grimsrud in the department of hair and makeup.

Sound designer Jos Purvis and lighting designer Eva Buckner add special spice both in general and at key moments. And we tip our hat to stage manager Madi Ugan for making it all happen.

Nice Touches:

• The use of sound and light effects to enhance "pointed" moments.
• The use of a hand mirror by various characters.

Bits involving the caged bird.

• The butler's flask.
• The use of actual (edible) food as props (as well as appropriately colored liquid for drinks).
• The QR code link to the online program.
• The perfectly matched "High British" dialects.

Memorable Lines:

• "Divorces are made in heaven."
• "Fortunately, in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever."
• "An engagement should come on a young girl as a surprise, pleasant or unpleasant as the case may be."
• "All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his."
• "It is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me?"
• "I was forced to write your letters for you."
• "My duty as a gentleman has never interfered with my pleasures in the smallest degree."
• "I can't eat muffins in an agitated manner."

From the Department of Picky-Picky:

The program does not credit a scenic designer or a props designer, so I will go out on a limb and suggest that producer Melissa S. Craib Dombrowski and director Lily Vance probably colluded on both.

The Bottom Line:

I must confess that, as familiar as I am with this play (having read and seen it multiple times), I was a bit hesitant about catching yet another production. That said, I am overwhelmingly glad that I invoked the phrase: "After all, it's Stone Soup Theatre Company's production" to convince myself to attend. The look, the sound, the overall good feeling of being in the audience with a show of this quality in my lap -- YES!

Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BRING EARNEST (In Person Feb. 21-March 2), produced by Melissa S. Craib Dombrowski, directed by Lily Vance, and starring Reid Harding Cater as Jack Worthing, Joe Nussbaum as Algernon Moncrieff, Meredyth "Molly" Albright as Gwendolen Fairfax, Georgia Bean as Cecily Cardew, Leanne Bernard as Lady Bracknell, John Adams as Dr. Chasuble, Cecilia Lindgren as Miss Prism, and The King Teen as Lane/Merriman (Stone Soup Theatre Company at the Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill). TRAILERS: . PRESENTER: http://stonesouptheatreco.com/, https://www.facebook.com/StoneSoupTheatreCo, https://www.instagram.com/stonesouptheatreco/, and https://www.tiktok.com/@stonesouptheatre. 2024-25 SEASON: https://stonesouptheatreco.com/current-season/. VENUE: https://www.thehoneysuckleteahouse.com/, https://www.facebook.com/thehoneysuckleteahouse, and https://www.instagram.com/thehoneysuckleteahouse/. THE IMPORTANCE OF BRING EARNEST (1895 three-act comedy, published as The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People): https://openbooks.library.umass.edu/earnestcommentary/, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/the-importance-of-being-earnest-4660, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Importance-of-Being-Earnest, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Importance_of_Being_Earnest. THE SCRIPT (excerpts): https://books.google.com/books. STUDY GUIDE (Utah Shakespeare Festival): https://www.bard.org/study-guides/the-importance-of-being-earnest-study-guide/. OSCAR WILDE (Irish wit, poet, playwright, and novelist, 1854-1900, nee Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde): https://oscarwildesociety.co.uk/, https://www.oscarwilde.us/, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/oscar-wilde-7968, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Oscar-Wilde, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde. INFORMATION: 919-408-7228 or stonesouptheatreco@gmail.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: Stone Soup Theatre Company. Melissa Rooney's Triangle Review Review Permalink. [RUN HAS CONCLUDED.]

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