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“The Importance of Being Earnest” at the National Theatre

Max Webster’s hit revival of Oscar Wilde’s masterpiece lives up to its sold-out status. The star-studded cast does not disappoint, Rae Smith’s design is gorgeous and a modern sensibility adds surprise touches that excite.

Ncuti-Gatwa-in-The-Importance-of-Being-Earnest-at-the-National-Theatre-credit-Marc-Brenner
Ncuti Gatwa

As introducing Algernon in drag indicates, Webster embraces Wilde’s risqué side. There no point hiding that the practice of ‘Bunburying’- taking on a second identity – is a code to cover escapades. Algernon and his pal Jack camp it up in effete style, literally skipping around the stage. There’s even the suggestion the couple are more than just friends. Taking the roles, Ncuti Gatwa and Hugh Skinner are enormous fun and look as if they are thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Ronkẹ-Adékọluẹ́jọ́-and-Eliza-Scanlen-in-The-Importance-of-Being-Earnest-at-the-National-Theatre-credit-Marc-Brenner
Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and Eliza Scanlen

So, what happens when it comes to the guys falling in love with women? Or when it comes to the final revelation about their own familial relationship? It’s easy to see a claim here for fluidity (they each have two identities already!). The idea is applied to Gwendolen and Cecily, too, who could end up as lovers rather than sisters, adding new jokes to the fantastic performances from Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and Eliza Scanlen.

Or you could just focus on Wilde’s silliness. Really, nothing should be taken seriously. The Importance of Being Earnest turns the world upside down (hence the production’s surprising encore). It might be said Webster doesn’t take Wilde as seriously as Dominic Dromgoole, whose enlightening Classic Spring series was a rare treat. But there is a boldness to Webster’s work that’s to his credit. 

Amanda-Lawrence-and-Richard-Cant-in-The-Importance-of-Being-Earnest-at-the-National-Theatre-credit-Marc-Brenner
Amanda Lawrence and Richard Cant

There is more to praise. An excellent triumvirate of Sharon D Clarke, Richard Cant and Amanda Lawrence, taking the roles of Lady Bracknell, Canon Chasuble and Miss Prism, are superb. Clarke’s accent is a masterstroke, while the courting curate and his schoolmistress get big laughs as well as being, well, cute! As a final thrill, the physicality in the show, from Gatwa and Skinner in particular, is a genuine surprise. Comedies of manners can be static affairs, Wilde’s lines imposing, but this cast does a great job with physical comedy and stylised movements that makes the production stand out.

Until 25 January 2025

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by Marc Brenner

2015

“The Trial” at the Young Vic

Nick Gill’s adaptation of Kafka’s novel makes for a puzzling piece of theatre. Cold, confusing and frustrating (I’ll get back to that last point), it has the feel of an endurance race, not least because the action takes place on a conveyer belt, built into Miriam Buether’s eye-wateringly orange set. There’s a lot of distance covered by the famous Josef K: arrested and fighting a faceless system to discover the nature of his crime, he is forced into a painful self-examination that drives him mad. There are so many themes here, from bureaucracy, lots of yellow paper, to role of the artist (cue dance music), that the show becomes so relentless it becomes monotonous.

The cast under Richard Jones’ direction win your admiration. Hugh Skinner adds a modern sleekness to the role of Josef’s work colleague – you can picture him in the City, despite the costume. And Sian Thomas is superb as Josef’s fast-talking lawyer. Taking on six parts as the women in Josef’s life, from a lap dancer to his next-door neighbour, keeps Kate O’Flynn busy. But Rory Kinnear in the lead role gets the gong for sheer hard work. On stage for near two hours, in a gut-wrenching performance that connects strongly with the audience, he is remarkable.

Kinnear also has to deal with an unusually difficult script. Josef’s internal dialogue is presented in a novel, poetic form that, perhaps because of the set’s colour, is reminiscent of Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange. Take the first line – “An almost woke ee up one morn” – and you get the idea. The execution is visceral, the technique arresting. Josef’s sexual frustration and anxiety are captured (the connection between lust and legal problems is one of Gill’s more intriguing insights), and his articulacy seems to deliberately deteriorate as the play goes on. The dialogue certainly becomes more difficult to follow, which increasingly jars – so much so that the play’s end comes as a relief for regrettably prosaic reasons.

Until 22 August 2015

www.youngvic.org

Photo by Keith Pattison