L-R: Kristen Hahn, Katy Tang, Triney Sandoval, Anthony Michael Martinez, Christine Pedi, Jan Neuberger, and Michael Raver in “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Westport Country Playhouse, now through November 15. (203) 227-4177. www.westportplayhouse.org.   Photo by Carol Rosegg

            Comedies that have some real degree of drama always have the risk of missing the proper balance as a director must build the tension of the conflict while also maintaining the play’s humor. It’s a difficult task, and unfortunately, for Westport Country Playhouse’s production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Melissa Rain Anderson, running at the playhouse at 25 Power Court in Westport, Connecticut through Nov. 15, achieves mixed results in capturing the balance of humor and drama.

            The Importance of Being Earnest is considered one of, if not the greatest English comedy of all time. It’s a scathingly comical satire on British propriety of the Victorian era as two men, Algernon Montcrieff (Anthony Michael Martinez) and John Worthing, J.P. (Michael Raver), use aliases in their efforts to woo the respective women in their lives. John has been using the alias of Ernest while courting Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolyn Fairfax (Katy Tang). While pursuing Gwendolyn, Algernon starts pursuing John’s ward Cecily Cardew (Kristen Hahn), also using the alias of Ernest. Meanwhile, the two men must address the stern and watchful eyes of Gwendolyn and Cecily’s respective matrons, Gwendolyn’s mother, Lady Bracknell (Christine Pedi) and Cecily’s governess, Miss Prism (Jan Neuberger). Everything becomes quite farcical as identities and pretensions play are exposed with hilarious repercussions.

L-R: Kristen Hahn, Mark Silence, and Katy Tang in “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Westport Country Playhouse, now through November 15. (203) 227-4177. www.westportplayhouse.org.   Photo by Carol Rosegg

            The Importance of Being Earnest is one of the most brilliant comedies ever written, but it is unfortunate that Westport’s production never gets itself off the ground. It does open with a promising set design by James J. Fenton, as the curtain rises, it feels like the opening of a three-dimensional silhouette gift card. It looks enticing and inviting as the opening scene kicks off. But it became apparent, as the play progressed, that the cast rarely gets to the peak of conflict that the play demands. Much of this falls on the shoulders of director Melissa Rain Anderson, as in some of the blocking, the actors are running away from the conflict instead of coming toward each other to escalate the scene. Some of this also comes from the actors not grounding themselves on stage. There’s a lot of movement that doesn’t necessarily have any direction. For example, someone will sit down and immediately stand back up. It’s a freneticism that takes away from the determination that is inherent in the text.

            The one scene that genuinely works is the confrontation between Cecily and Gwendolyn as they each think the other is in love with Ernest, not knowing that the two men are deceiving them both. There are some fantastic methodic moments as they center with each other at a table with treats between them being used as metaphorical weapons of resistance. The two ladies are invested in the moment, it’s funny, and the drama slowly builds as they challenge each other. Christine Pedi gives the best performance of the show as the appropriately austere as Lady Brecknell.

L-R: Michael Raver and Anthony Michael Martinez in “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Westport Country Playhouse, now through November 15. (203) 227-4177. www.westportplayhouse.org.   Photo by Carol Rosegg

            Along with Fenton’s set design, I do like the rest of the play’s design, particularly Annie J. Le’s costume design and J. Jared Janas’ wig, hair and makeup. It’s so delightfully pretentious in its turn of the 20^th century British upper class, especially with Lady Bracknell, Cecily, John, and Gwendolyn’s outfits. It’s Algernon’s costumes that exhibits a different degree of eccentricity that triggers a visual sense of satire that playfully perverts our perceptions of everyone else.

            The Importance of Being Earnest is a hilarious play, one of the funniest ever written. If you’re new to the play, you should be able to find the humor within the brilliance of Wilde’s writing. But most of the laughs will come from the text and less from the performances. If this is the first opportunity to see The Importance of Being Earnest, I would encourage people to do so for the simple fact that everyone should see it at least once. There are some good moments, but overall, it could have been so much more.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

TICKETS: https://www.westportplayhouse.org/

PRODUCTION: Written by Oscar Wilde; Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson; Set Designer: James J. Fenton; Costume Designer: Annie J. Le; Lighting Designer: Alexander Fetchko; Sound Designer & Original Music: John Gromada; Wig, Hair, & Make-up Designer: J. Jared Janas; Stage Manager: Frank Lombardi; Assistant Set Designer: Luca Plitz; Associate Wig, Hair & Make-up Designer: Lily Volle; Assistant Stage Manager: Kelley Lynne Moncrief; Production Assistant: Chloe Marie Lupini

CAST (in alphabetical order)

Kristen Hahn as Cecily Cardew

Anthony Michael Martinez as Algernon Montcrieff

Jan Neuberger as Miss Prism

Christine Pedi as Lady Bracknell

Michael Raver as John Worthing, J.P.

Triney Sandoval as Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D.

Mark Silence as Merriman, Lane

Katy Tang as Gwendolyn Fairfax