What happens when a play loses its main actor without warning? That is the idea of Simon Slough’s satire …Earnest?
As the title implies, the show parodies Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest by having Earnest himself (George Alexander) go AWOL, and director Simon Slough (playing himself) is forced to improvise in real time to save the production. The breezy 75-minute runtime lets the show play to the full potential of the concept and go all out blending genuine spontaneity with well-crafted choreography.
For as fast and loose as the show gets, it is grounded with a surprisingly clever script that manages to pack in a chunky amount of setups which make the escalating insanity feel completely natural. This show rewards you for keeping up with the pace because almost every little detail matters at some point.
But to say all this undercuts how exceptional the cast is to the success of …Earnest? Most of the cast are required to distinguish between the stage show characters and the actors playing them. It’s a unique challenge, but everyone meets it. Everyone gives a commendable physical performance where they are required to remain nimble the whole runtime. Out of the whole cast, it is perhaps Graham Kinsey who has the most physicality asked of him, and he soars to the challenge giving a consistently riotous performance.
While the show never loses its edge, the final 10 minutes felt a bit tamer (one could say earnest) compared to the rest of the show. While it serves at bringing the premise to a natural payoff, it’s also the most scripted part of the show and felt the least unpredictable. It’s still a strong ending, but the show does slightly take its foot off the gas in the home stretch. If you were a fan of The Goes Wrong Show, you will adore this.
…Earnest? is running until 30 August at Underbelly at Underbelly George Square. Buy tickets here.
Image provided as press material.
