The Importance of Being Earnest was my very first play, experienced when our primary school and farm kids from 100 miles in every direction were bussed into town to behold this thing called culture. The very thought that one could get out of unpleasant things like visiting relatives just by being clever was a revelation…and the exact opposite of the fundamentalist fire and brimstone we all endured every Sunday! Although the set was simple and the costumes basic, those itinerant thespians opened up my world and sparked a lifelong obsession with the theater. I also became an ardent Bunburyist and a true truant terror after learning how to forge parental signatures…but that’s a story for another time.
Aurora’s newly appointed Artistic Director Josh Costello breathes new life into this delicious Oscar Wilde classic. A solid ensemble cast displays a wide range of physical comedy skills as well as the kind of expressive faces that make you rejoice in being so close to the stage. Mohammad Shehata's (Earnest) broad grin will leave you smiling for days…and forgiving him for all manner of tall tales. Special shout out for Maggie Whitaker’s divine costuming—gorgeous vintage prints and bright colors that work beautifully on Nina Ball's elegantly illuminated set.
In short, lest you think Earnest is a musty, fusty comedy of manners, think again. Josh Costello’s version is bright, brilliant and fresh as spring.
Now through May 19, tickets available here.
photo credit: David Allen
(L-R) Anna Ishida and Gianna DiGregorio Rivera in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Josh Costello.