Town Players To Present

‘The Importance of Being Earnest’

“In families of high position strange coincidences are not supposed to occur. They are hardly considered the thing,” says Lady Bracknell, grande dame of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest — a play that hinges entirely on strange coincidences. The classic comedy will open Friday, July 9, at Town Players of Newtown’s Little Theater. Performances will continue weekends until July 25.  

Director Ruth Anne Baumgartner calls the play “a candy box: stylish wrappings enclosing delicious moments of all shapes and flavors, surprise and delight in every bite.” Wilde himself called it “a trivial comedy for serious people.” Considered by many the most perfect comedy of manners in the English language, the play presents love and marriage among the upper classes in 1895 England. 

Gwendolen Fairfax, a young London woman who believes that “in matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing,” is idealistically determined to love someone of the name of Ernest. Meanwhile, down in the country Cecily Cardew has formed the identical ambition. Eventually they both become engaged to someone called Ernest Worthing — who may not actually exist. Are they both engaged to the same man, or to no one at all?

Damian Long and Matthieu Regney will Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, young men-about-town who both claim to be Ernest. Laurel Jameson, as Gwendolen Fairfax, and Margaret Frattaroli, as Cecily Cardew, are the two disconcerted fiancées.

Lady Bracknell, Algernon’s imperious aunt, will be played by Ann Hutchinson. Cecily’s “admirable” governess, Miss Prism, is Marguerite Foster. The rector of the country parish, the “continually christening” Canon Chasuble, is Rob Pawlikowski. In London Algernon is ably attended (and abetted) by his manservant, Lane, played by Keegan Finlayson.

Producer Patricia Reese is leading an impressive production design team. Alexander Kulcsar has designed the set, decoratively painted by Laurel Jameson. Rob Pawlikowski has designed the lighting, assisted by Timothy Arnone.

Turn-of-the-century costumes by Mary Kulcsar complete the visual reality of the production. Sarah Desrosiers is Stage Manager.

Every comedy of manners satirizes the behavior of the society it portrays, and The Importance of Being Earnest does so with glee, nimble wit, and panache.

The production will run Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm, with Sunday matinées at 2, through July 25. Tickets for all performances are $20, $10 for ages 10 and under.

For directions to the theater or to make reservations, call 203-270-9144 or visit NewtownPlayers.org.