The Importance of
Being Earnest

April 16, 17, 18, and 23-24

One of the funniest and most charming plays ever written, The Importance of Being
Earnest features diamond-bright dialogue, ridiculous yet recognizable characters, and a
wildly improbable plot. Though not a farce per se, the script teems with classic farcical
elements—puns, innuendo, disguises, mistaken identities—that often teeter precariously
on the brink of genteel slapstick.

Yet beneath this frothy façade lurks a scathing critique of fin-de-siècle British society.
Wilde activates his rapier wit to mercilessly skewer the late Victorian obsession with
etiquette and appearances while simultaneously managing to craft a text that exudes
more warmth and decency that any of his other works for the stage. So much for being a
trivial play!

The action centers on Jack Worthing and Algernon Montcrieff, who are in love with Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew respectively, both women claiming to be madly in love with Ernest, whom neither of them has ever met. Stir into the mix the formidable busybody Lady Bracknell, an absent-minded governess, and a dubious story about a baby in a handbag and voila—the ultimate comedy of manners.

Click to view a map and directions to the Village Playhouse

Ticket Prices:
Adults: $8.00 in advance / $10.00 at the door
Students: 5.00 in advance / $6.00 at the door