DramSoc's production of The Importance of Being Earnest

DramSoc recently performed Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest with great success. I went to watch it on Wednesday 25th of February, which was their first public performance, and although from what I heard it was not their best one among the next three they performed, it still exceeded my expectations and was highly enjoyable. The five weeks the cast spent rehearsing were time well spent.  

Firstly, the directors really did bring together a “brilliant team of people to put on.” Each actor embodied their character exceptionally well, to the point where it seems hard to imagine them playing different roles. 

The two main protagonists, Algernon played by Atom Lucenet and Jack played by Lex Irish, were energetic and kept the audience constantly on edge towards their next move. Especially the scene where Algernon comes on stage as Ernest, pretending to be Jack’s brother, right after Jack announces Ernest’s death with great melancholy.  

Lady Bracknell, played by Daniel Rattner, as very snobby, and her domineering presence could be felt anytime she entered the scene, with her head held high and her pride over the roof. As for her daughter, Gwendolen, Jack’s lover from Mayfair, Elana Todd Miller truly portrayed a Victorian young city woman, with utmost sophistication and confidence.  

Jack’s ward, Cecily Cardew, played by Jasi Withers, clearly showed a contrast to her counterpart, Gwendolen, rejecting Victorian standards and instead leaning into her witty, imaginative and kind side. Some missed lines could be noted throughout the show, but only subtly, as each actor picked up their lines back with great impromptu skills, making a few stutters just an element of realism.  

Plot

As for the plot, the show followed Oscar Wilde’s sequence of events, adding humour and a few modern jokes here and there. In fact, the plot was brought to life with this added modernity, making it cleverly funny and inscribing a 19th century environment in smooth harmony with the 21st. However, the beginning of the plot seemed a bit slow, as it stayed in the same scene with both Algernon and Jack having a long dialogue about their opinions on cucumber sandwiches, marriage, women and second identities. Nevertheless, the pace picked itself up with the introduction of more characters and changes in scene, when we moved from Mayfair London to the countryside. 

Props,  Set and Costumes

The props made it obvious where we were located, for one, the grand aristocratic 19th century living room on stage, and a beautiful country garden with flowers at the bottom. Transitions between settings were therefore quick and obvious. The choice of real food was also interesting, with Algernon spitting some out at some point while shouting to Jack.  

Whilst the props characterised the environment of each scene with detail, so did the costumes in portraying the class and personalities of each character. For instance, Lady Bracknell was dressed fully covered and in black, with long beads around her neck, symbolising her strict and wealth-focused character. Cecily was dressed in a light silver spring dress, with minimal accessories, expressing her heart-lightness and natural personality, whereas Gwendolen wore an aristocratic long green dress with long lace sleeves and a cocktail hat. Miss Prism also wore a patterned dress with a white collar, representing her conservative character, yet also of lower social standards (as she is an unmarried woman). As for the men, Jack, Lane, Reverend Chasuble, and Merriman wore a formal suit; only Argenold differed with his colourful yellow suit and turquoise tie. This attire well represented Algernon’s chaotic, comic and rebellious personality.

Light and Sound

Lights and sound effects, although unsynchronised to the action a few times, kept the audience’s attention on the main actions and characters when multiple characters were on stage, helping communicate the storyline effectively. 

Overall, a great show that demonstrates the talent of Imperial’s Drama Society and makes us excited for what they plan on performing next!