Review: The Importance of Being Earnest at Sydney Theatre Company

The Importance of Being Earnest at Sydney Theatre Company, 19 September 2023

Reviewed by Sumaya Sultana

Sydney Theatre Company’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest perfectly coincides with a recent public interest in 18th and 19th century Europe, allowing the prolific director Sarah Giles as much autonomy as possible when stressing playwright Oscar Wilde’s Aestheticist values regarding social status within Victorian society. The performance, held in the Roslyn Packer Theatre, was positively marked by the entrancing set design and the skilled cast.

Charles Wu and Brandon McClelland’s performances as Algernon and John kept the audience on their feet throughout the play as they tackled the trivialities they faced in their pursuit of love interests Cecily and Gwendolen, played respectively by Melissa Kahraman and Megan Wilding. Wilde’s satirisation of upper-class frivolities and his emphasis on ‘art for art’s sake’ results in a great comedy that allures audiences through the likeable yet whimsical characters of his play. The audience’s reactions to Lady Bracknell’s (played by Helen Thomson) retelling of John’s accidental abandonment by Miss Prism (Lucia Mastrantone) stressed our attachment to the carefully cultivated characters. 

Helen Thomson, Lucia Mastrantone, Megan Wilding in Sydney Theatre Company’s The Importance of Being Earnest, 2023. Photo: Daniel Boud ©

Wu’s performance as Algernon Moncrieff turns the already eccentric character into a man memorable for his laid-back attitudes, as his charmingly obnoxious life sayings and camaraderie with John Worthing, bested by his piqued interest in Cecily, constantly drew laughs from the audience. Wu authentically portrayed the character, but was also able to add the flair necessary for a farcical comedy poking fun at the self-servient upper-class values that Wilde scrutinised. Wilding’s depiction of Gwendolen turns Wilde’s character into a woman that satirises conventional upper-class women without denigration, and her uppity character serves for more humour as the actress flawlessly ‘puts her nose up’ at the rest of the characters and sometimes even the audience. Miss Prism’s aloof characterisation is only strengthened by Lucia Mastrantone’s performance of the silly yet endearing character, as her supporting presence contributes to the unsophisticatedness of these ‘sophisticated’ characters. 

Charles Wu, Gareth Davies, Melissa Kahraman in Sydney Theatre Company’s The Importance of Being Earnest, 2023. Photo: Daniel Boud ©

The set design throughout the play is enchanting – I say throughout the play because set designer Charles Davis’ decision to have a split stage between the servants quarters and Algernon’s living room emphasises the glaring gap between Victorian classes, an angle that brings some social critique into his work that is masterfully twisted by Giles to further serve a comedic purpose. The change to Cecily’s garden is entrancingly comedic as bushes fall out from the sky and dirt is seemingly pulled out of nowhere. Davis’ jaw dropping work is complemented by costume designer Renée Mulder’s work, in particular the costumes of Algernon, Gwendolen and Lady Bracknell. The maximalist and eye-catching outfits present throughout the play further exemplify the gross triviality of the main cast, but also serve to simply shock and awe as Bracknell and Gwendolen ramble around the stage. Composer Stefan Gregory’s cheeky renditions of 2000s pop like TLC’s No Scrubs brings a more lighter touch to the play while also emphasising the deep irony and kind of embarrassing state that Algernon and John throw themselves into.

Charles Wu, Sean O’Shea, Gareth Davies, Emma O’Sullivan in Sydney Theatre Company’s The Importance of Being Earnest, 2023. Photo: Daniel Boud ©

Overall I felt that the performance was not only pleasing in the expertise of the actors and production but that it also easily pays homage to Wilde’s emphasis on ‘art of art’s sake’ while also adding to the comedic elements of the play through their own skill and creativity. I would highly recommend a watch – you can buy tickets here.