'Earnest' actors are 'Wilde' and witty
Play review
By Sally Carpenter sallyc@theacorn.com

If playwright Oscar Wilde were alive today, he'd have his own syndicated radio or TV show on which to express his pithy observations of social foibles. His play "The Importance of Being Earnest," at the Camarillo Community Theatre, is as much a collection of satirical jabs at the 19thcentury British Victorian upper crust as it is a silly melodrama about romantic entanglements.

Sorting out the complex plot line is not easy. In a nutshell, Jack Worthing (real name John) goes by the name "Ernest" when he's in the city and pretends he has a ne'erdo-well brother named "Ernest" when he's in the country. Algernon Moncrieff, Jack's buddy and a wealthy bachelor, poses as Jack's brother "Ernest" to get close to Jack's ward, Cecily Cardrew. Gwendolen Fairfax falls in love with Jack when she believes he's really "Ernest." Confused?

Algy has concocted a fictitious invalid friend, "Bunbury." His "visits to his sick friend" are merely a cover for him to escape his prim and proper aunt, Lady Bracknell, for a bit of fun.

Jack (Peter Krause) comes to Algy's London flat to ask Gwendolen's (Jennifer Carnahan) hand in marriage. But first Lady Bracknell (Peggy Steketee), Gwendolen's mother, grills Jack with ridiculous questions to see if he's fit marriage material.

All is well until Jack admits he's lost both parents- or rather, they lost him years ago when they left him as an infant stranded in a bag at the train station. Since he can't trace his pedigree to a respectable family, Lack Bracknell forbids the nuptials.

Algy (Refe Terrizzi), meanwhile, is intrigued by Jack's description of his young ward, Cecily (Kristi Kellogg), and he arrives at her residence as "Ernest" just as Jack announces that "Ernest" has died.

When both girls admit they will only marry men named "Ernest," Jack and Algy ask the Rev. Canon Chasuble (Roscoe Gaines) to christen them with new names. But Chasuble is more interested in his own pursuit of Miss Prism (Karen Sonnenschein), Cecily's governess.

Amidst the plot complications are endless barbs on the hypocrisy of the wealthy who treat the lower classes with disdain and view money as the basis of a solid marriage. The idle rich would rather spend their time munching on cucumber sandwiches and looking up families in the social register than using their power to help the poor.

Wilde punctures holes in the veneer of proper Victorian behavior: Respectable men see no harm in their escapades away from home, and the chaste girls secretly yearn for a "wicked" man. The characters utter absurdities with straight faces, unaware of how ridiculous they sound.

The witty lines are as dry as a martini and just as tasty. The audience laughed loudly at the funny quips and the convoluted story.

Terrizzi is slick, handsome and sly as the man-about-town Algy. Krause reminds one of a little lost puppy as he describes his childhood trauma, but he can lock horns with Terrizzi in their arguments.

Steketee is authoritarian as the quintessential British matron. She dominates the stage as well as the menfolk, and nobody- but nobody- dares to contradict her.

Carnahan and Kellogg are pretty and charming as the whimsical love interests. Their best scene together is in Act 2, loving and hating each other within seconds as they scheme to snag their men.

Roger Krevenas is double cast as Lane, Algy's manservant, and Merriman, Cecily's butler. As Lane he's droll, deadpan and unflappable. Merriman is twitchy, slow moving and hilarious as he carries Algy's luggage back and forth across stage.

Sonnenschein seems young for her role (the character should be much older than Jack). Still, she's a devoted and lovable nanny.

Gaines is energetic but he plays his role too broadly for a respectable British rector. His mannerisms and speech are more suited for a modern American comedy and he almost leers when discussing his sweetheart.

The costumers, Erin Heulitt and Beth Glasner, have created some spectacular eye-candy dresses for the women, complete with hats loaded with feathers, flowers and whatnot.

The play requires three different sets, a challenge for the small stage. The production uses the same creamcolored flats in different configurations to set the scenes, along with various furniture pieces in neutral colors. Thumbs up for ingenuity, but a few more splashes of color would be welcome.

Under the direction of Andrea Tate, the play zips along and the lines are delivered well. At times, though, the characters tend to stay in one place for too long.

In the end, the couples are together, Jack's true identity is revealed, and the audience leaves with a smile. It all works out, but how the story moves from start to finish is an amusing, thoroughly enjoyable journey.

The play continues weekends through May 18 at 330 Skyway Drive, Camarillo. For tickets, call (805) 388-5716 or visit www.camarillotheatre.org.