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page_on_stageThe Importance of Being Earnest
Company: Pan Productions
Directed by: Aylin Bozok
Produced by: Zeynep Dlkiran
Part of what makes The Importance of Being Earnest an absolute classic play is its timelessness. The story follows two friends, Ernest and Algernon, who are both, in some way, leading double lives. When those double lives entangle and their secrets threaten to destroy any chance of happiness they have with the women of their dreams, Gwendoline and Cecily, the pressure is on for these two bachelors to decide exactly who they intend to be.
The Importance is a story about love, yes, but also about identity, both the identity of the self and the identities imposed upon us by others. It’s about the tight-rope line we all walk between where we’ve come from and who we are. How fitting, then, that this particular production of Oscar Wilde’s well loved farce is produced by a cast and crew of creatives made up entirely by immigrants. French, Canadian, Finnish, Turkish, and Greek are just a handful of the nationalities of those involved. It’s a fantastic and fresh angle for, arguably, the most popular play of Wilde’s – after all, we mustn’t forget that the controversial Irish playwright was an immigrant himself. The unique styles brought to the table by this company have breathed fresh life into a play which has been put on so many times it’s a wonder there’s anything new to bring to it.
This production of The Importance of Being Earnest is more like an absinthe fuelled fever dream. It’s a highly stylised and non-naturalistic take with a distinctly offbeat tone and an alluring black and white colour palette. Whether you like what Pan Productions (the theatrical company behind the show) has done with the play or not, it’s impossible to argue against the fact that aesthetically it’s very pleasing. Imagine, if you will, a kind of gothic bohemia - black leather, a maid in dark green velvet, and a Cecily who’s sporting an outfit not dissimilar to what Winona Ryder is wearing in Beetlejuice.
If you go into this production of The Importance of Being Earnest expecting a quaint traditionally British comedy performed by delicate doe-eyed ladies and charmingly befuddled highly starched gentlemen then I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. This is a far cry from Rupert Everett and Colin Firth leaning on ornate banisters whilst chewing the scenery and is more akin to a viewing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. And you know what? It works. It’s a delightful take with an identity all its own, which seems fitting considering the themes of the play. There is a strong and distinct directorial vision throughout, choreographed with a braveness and boldness which, for the vast majority of the play, really pays off.
The cast is incredibly strong, and considering that English is not the first language of many of the cast they have no problem getting their teeth around Wilde’s wordy dialogue with the impeccable timing of delivery which the success of this show depends upon. Pinar Öğün and Glykeria Dimou, who play Gwendoline and Cecily respectively, are a particular delight, the strength of their characters leaving the audience in no doubt as to who is really running the show. Nea Cornér plays Lane and Merriman, two servants in the original text, but transformed in this production into a much more significant role of maid come storyteller come creator. She often physically moves characters into place and even enacts their internal feelings whilst they disguise their true emotions for propriety’s sake. There’s something wonderfully unnerving about her, she carries much of the quirk of this production and is used as an all purpose tool for a lot of the more stylistic directorial decisions.
There are times where style does seem to overshadow purpose in this production, a few of the false starts and extra flavour repeated several times too often, and whilst I adored all of the little asides and oddities I’d be inclined to say that sometimes less is more and using the same devices more than once feels stressed at best and lazy at worst.
That said, Pan Productions' The Importance of Being Earnest is a triumph of subversive and stylish defiance with a flare and poignant absurdity which Oscar himself would no doubt have adored.
The Importance of Being Earnest ~ [Tower Theatre] ~ Review
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Company: Pan Productions
Directed by: Aylin Bozok
Produced by: Zeynep Dlkiran
Part of what makes The Importance of Being Earnest an absolute classic play is its timelessness. The story follows two friends, Ernest and Algernon, who are both, in some way, leading double lives. When those double lives entangle and their secrets threaten to destroy any chance of happiness they have with the women of their dreams, Gwendoline and Cecily, the pressure is on for these two bachelors to decide exactly who they intend to be.
The Importance is a story about love, yes, but also about identity, both the identity of the self and the identities imposed upon us by others. It’s about the tight-rope line we all walk between where we’ve come from and who we are. How fitting, then, that this particular production of Oscar Wilde’s well loved farce is produced by a cast and crew of creatives made up entirely by immigrants. French, Canadian, Finnish, Turkish, and Greek are just a handful of the nationalities of those involved. It’s a fantastic and fresh angle for, arguably, the most popular play of Wilde’s – after all, we mustn’t forget that the controversial Irish playwright was an immigrant himself. The unique styles brought to the table by this company have breathed fresh life into a play which has been put on so many times it’s a wonder there’s anything new to bring to it.
This production of The Importance of Being Earnest is more like an absinthe fuelled fever dream. It’s a highly stylised and non-naturalistic take with a distinctly offbeat tone and an alluring black and white colour palette. Whether you like what Pan Productions (the theatrical company behind the show) has done with the play or not, it’s impossible to argue against the fact that aesthetically it’s very pleasing. Imagine, if you will, a kind of gothic bohemia - black leather, a maid in dark green velvet, and a Cecily who’s sporting an outfit not dissimilar to what Winona Ryder is wearing in Beetlejuice.
If you go into this production of The Importance of Being Earnest expecting a quaint traditionally British comedy performed by delicate doe-eyed ladies and charmingly befuddled highly starched gentlemen then I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. This is a far cry from Rupert Everett and Colin Firth leaning on ornate banisters whilst chewing the scenery and is more akin to a viewing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. And you know what? It works. It’s a delightful take with an identity all its own, which seems fitting considering the themes of the play. There is a strong and distinct directorial vision throughout, choreographed with a braveness and boldness which, for the vast majority of the play, really pays off.
The cast is incredibly strong, and considering that English is not the first language of many of the cast they have no problem getting their teeth around Wilde’s wordy dialogue with the impeccable timing of delivery which the success of this show depends upon. Pinar Öğün and Glykeria Dimou, who play Gwendoline and Cecily respectively, are a particular delight, the strength of their characters leaving the audience in no doubt as to who is really running the show. Nea Cornér plays Lane and Merriman, two servants in the original text, but transformed in this production into a much more significant role of maid come storyteller come creator. She often physically moves characters into place and even enacts their internal feelings whilst they disguise their true emotions for propriety’s sake. There’s something wonderfully unnerving about her, she carries much of the quirk of this production and is used as an all purpose tool for a lot of the more stylistic directorial decisions.
There are times where style does seem to overshadow purpose in this production, a few of the false starts and extra flavour repeated several times too often, and whilst I adored all of the little asides and oddities I’d be inclined to say that sometimes less is more and using the same devices more than once feels stressed at best and lazy at worst.
That said, Pan Productions' The Importance of Being Earnest is a triumph of subversive and stylish defiance with a flare and poignant absurdity which Oscar himself would no doubt have adored.
The Importance of Being Earnest ~ [Tower Theatre] ~ Review
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
