Theater Reviews

May 28, 2002 - The Reno Little Theater's Fine "Importance of Being Earnest"

By Jack Neal

"I'm sick to death of cleverness. Everyone is clever nowadays," Oscar Wilde has his spokesman Algernon say in the first act of his play "The Importance of Being Earnest."

It's an ironic line, for Wilde - who was and remains the cleverest of all - continues to please with the wit of his writing over a century after he wrote. But his biting wit is no more pleasing, it is certain, than in the Reno Little Theater's faithful staging of his droll comedy of manners that pokes such fun at the British upper classes.

Even more exciting is the company's triumph over a host of bad odds. Performing as theatrical orphans with no home of their own, the gallant crew who is working so feverishly to keep Nevada's oldest performing arts organization in business finds itself in the worst of times. How exciting it is to also find a director, in this case Michael Peters, and a cast who can turn the worst of times into the best of times. Presenting shows in the Wooster High School Little Theater through the good graces of the school's principal, Serena Robb, is better than no venue at all. But it's tough for a community theater to work around a school's needs and make a production work. Yet work thus production does and radiantly so.

The play is almost foolproof, especially when a director and cast have a flair for comedy and don't get in the way of Wilde's wild humor and the delicious rhythm of his words. Peters lets his beautifully prepared cast savor the zippy dialogue without any sense of languish or rush. All involved appear to be having a grand time. That penchant for a grand time spills gracefully across the footlights so that the audience gets the full bloom of what the play has to say, laughs - and there are lots of them - social commentary and all.

The plot is an amusingly complicated romantic tale of Jack Worthing's pursuit of Gwendolen Fairfax. It's complicated because Worthing is one person at his country estate and quite another, he's more fun, in London where he goes by the name of Earnest. Being found in a sachel as a baby in Victoria Station, gives Worthing a twist of mystery, along, of course, with yet more plot and personal complications. Because of his iffy parentage, Lady Bracknell, who is Gwendolen's guardian, is entirely against any possible marriage between her charge and Worthing. Worthing is also the guardian of Cecily Cardew, an 18-year-old girl who has acquired an urge for another chap calling himself Earnest, in reality the youthful Algernon, whom Worthing describes to her as being his younger brother.

Cory Forson plays Algernon, the arrogant cucumber sandwich-eating bachelor, with flamboyance and large doses of charm. As with most all others in the cast (some few are dour), Forson makes sure that his Algernon is perpetually sunny and bright, all the while providing a certain dark quality allowing him to more succinctly play off Jack's neurotic nature. Kirk Gardner's management of Jack's confusion over who he is, the good luck of his sizeable fortune, and the whys and wherefores of why Earnest is such an attracting name, is near perfection.

As Gwendolen, Mari-Kristin Cetovick is a standout. Cetovick is noteworthy for her naturalness of posturing, if you will, and the clear ability for language that allows her to be so acutely articulate while displaying a subtle sense of dignity. As Cecily Cardew, Bergen Kanoff is fresh as the morning dew and has a marvelous way of underlining a speech with a pose. She gives full expression to the dialogue's easy and elegant sparkle. When Gwendolen meets Cecily face-to-face, their tea-table tete-a-tete is like watching a volley of serves and snappy returns at Wimbledon. Harriet Beaman plays Lady Bracknell commandingly. With a nose for money and proper social position she takes the role by the scruff of the neck. Few dare fool with Beaman's Lady Bracknell.

Julie Robertson plays the absent-minded Miss Prism, Cecily's governess, with the silliness Miss Prism demands. Absent minded enough to mix up the manuscript of her novel with the baby she was tending then losing both at Victoria Station, Miss Prism nontheless holds the key to Jack's true identity - and the plot. Robertson is in all ways excellent, as are Phil Harriman as the Reverend Chasuble, David Zybert as Lane, Algernon's manservant, and Sam Coleman as the bearded and distinguished butler, Merriman, at the Worthing manor house.

The production's wonderfully tailored costumes by Diana Carter and Julie Robertson keep all hands on stage in the throws of elegant dapperness. The set, simple as it is and attributed to Michael Peters, et al, is tasteful and richly and lovingly appointed. Everything about the production is first-rate, including Rick Patton's lighting, Gary Helmers' sound, Kirk Gardner's keen selection of turn-of the-20Th-Century popular music, Tony DeGeiso's out-of-tune piano playing and Linda Havens' yummy looking cucumber sandwiches and cakes. All aspects of this delightul show are wonderfully organized, produced and directed to complete satisfaction by Michael Peters.

This current and choice Reno Little Theater presentation of "The Importance of Being Earnest" can be seen at the Wooster High School Little Theater, just off Plumb Lane near the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Friday, May 31 and Saturday June 1 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 2 at 2 p.m. For information call 775-329-0661.