 Algernon Moncrieff (Brian Beckett) pushes Jack Worthing (Nicolae Rusan) a bit too far in the McGill Department of English's The Importance of Being Earnest. [Click to enlarge]
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 The cast of Earnest resurrects nineteenth century Victorian society with period costumes and witty banter. [Click to enlarge]
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Near the end of the play's first act, Algernon Moncrieff declares with relish to his butler: "Lane, tomorrow I'm going Bunburying!" The overdramatic zest with which actor Brian Beckett delivers this line typifies the best of director Myrna Wyatt Selkirk's production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest-enthusiastic acting with a wonderful flair.
Wilde's play is more about being Ernest than earnest. Set in 1890s England, Jack Worthing (Nicolae Rusan) is a country gentleman who uses an imaginary trouble-prone brother named Ernest as an excuse to regularly escape to London. While in the city, Jack goes by the name of Ernest. Algernon, meanwhile, is a London aristocrat who similarly visits his imaginary and often ill friend Bunbury in the country to get out of social engagements in the city. When Jack lets Algernon in on the secret of his double identity, "Algie" decides to travel to the country and impersonate Jack's brother Ernest. Needless to say, hilarity ensues.
While Earnest suffers from a slow start, the play takes off near the end of the first act and doesn't let up for the rest of its considerable running time. Rusan succeeds in the somewhat difficult task of making the brusque Jack an eminently likeable character, lending the role a quiet intensity. His exasperation with Algernon's ridiculous behaviour is thoroughly believable, though he fails to capitalize on some moments to bring more energy to his character's frustrations.
Beckett's Algernon is in many ways the star of the show, and his delivery of Wilde's witty one-liners scores most of Earnest's big laughs. The dandyish Algernon is written as an ostentatious character and Beckett takes his absurd pompousness to new heights in his portrayal. But Beckett fails to bring his high-strung character down in the show's quieter moments and doesn't make choices that might have created a more three-dimensional character. As a result, Beckett is always "on," sacrificing a bit of the character's believability.
Much of Earnest's plot focusses on Jack's pursuit of Algernon's cousin Gwendolen Fairfax (Jessica Hill) and Algernon's subsequent proposal to Jack's ward Cecily Cardew (the fetching Joy Ross-Jones). Both female leads threaten to outshine the men with their solid performances. Hill's strong portrayal of Gwendolen lends the role a certain steeliness while maintaining Gwendolen's obvious affection for Jack-a tough balance to pull off. Her excellent sense of timing injects energy into the scenes filled with fast-paced banter. Ross-Jones also pulls of a difficult balance as Cecily, resisting the temptation to turn her romantic character sickly saccharine. Her scenes with Beckett allow the characters to play off each other to great effect.
The production also features a couple of stand-out performances in more minor roles. Michael Coke's portrayal of Lane, Algernon's stoic butler, in the first act is dead-on. Coke's unblinking, dry delivery of Wilde's witty lines contrasts wonderfully with Algernon's excesses. Gwendolen's mother Lady Bracknell (Elana Dunkelman) is a commanding presence in the few scenes in which she appears, taking control of the stage to great effect.
Earnest is a three-act play on a grand scale, and Selkirk's production succeeds most when it plays to this strength. The scenes with only Jack and Algernon in the first act falter somewhat due to Jack's lack of energy, and both characters' over-rapid line delivery. Beckett's ridiculous pomposity, which works so well in the play's big scenes, feels out of place in these more intimate scenes.
But later in the play, as Jack's and Algernon's alter egos begin to appear, the problems of the first act disappear-Rusan brings his energy up very effectively and Beckett's ridiculous mannerisms become an asset (a scene in which Beckett ostentatiously devours muffins is particularly amusing). The play is also at its best when the steely Hill gets the chance to play off Ross-Jones's more innocent Cecily, which she does very effectively.
Earnest is a big undertaking-Selkirk's production recognizes this and plays up its more grandiose and over the top aspects. The result is a thoroughly entertaining production of Wilde's grand and witty play.
The Importance of Being Earnest plays at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27 to 29 in Moyse Hall (Arts Building, 853 Sherbrooke St. West). Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.
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