"The Importance of Being Earnest" Opens Tonight At George School

George School theatre students will present Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. The performances by George School theater and stagecraft students are free and open to the public.

The Importance of Being Earnest was first performed in 1895 and has been defined as a “Comedy of Manners.”  The play, set in London in 1895, is a satire of the English aristocracy and their affectations and mannerisms.

According to theater teacher Maureen West, the play’s comedic appeal hits close to home for all audiences. “These characters are so self-inflated that it is hilarious,” Maureen said. “(Oscar) Wilde is trying to make fun of all of us because we all do that at one time or another.”

The Importance of Being Earnest tells the tale of Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, both young men who have taken to bending the truth to add a dash of excitement to their lives and secretly escape the social expectations of the upper class.

Jack has invented an imaginary brother, Ernest, whom he uses as an excuse to escape from his dull home in the country to frolic in town. Algernon, meanwhile, has an imaginary friend, Bunbury, who provides a convenient excuse for taking adventures in the country.

Their deceptions eventually cross paths, resulting in a series of hilarious discoveries that threaten to spoil their romantic pursuits and challenge the obsession with birth, breeding, and class.

“This show is funny, it’s ridiculous and it’s relatable to us because teens in general are walking contradictions,” said Sabrina Schell, who portrays Gwendolen Fairfax.

Student Director Irene Mutiganzi said this George School production is not one to miss. “It’s a very talented cast; it’s very different because we have a few freshmen in leading roles,” she said.

In addition to the actors, Scott Hoskins and the stagecraft students have been working on sets, which represent the “social façade” of the time period.

“One of the most important details of this show is representing symmetry,” said West. “So many of the characters mirror one another, so we’ve worked meticulously on maintaining the yin and yang on the stage.”

The Importance of Being Earnest is one of nine performances organized by the George School Arts Department during the 2011-12 school year.