The Importance of Being Earnest Preview

The Importance of Being Earnest Preview

Developed and first performed by the London Classic Theatre, The Importance of Being Earnest is coming to Norwich for two nights this week. The Tab recently sat down to talk with Michael Cabot, the director of Earnest, to ask him a few questions.

Tab: Why did you decide to tackle The Importance of Being Earnest?

Michael: Primarily, it was time for the company to do a comedy. We’ve done a run of more challenging material recently, so we felt it was time to do something fresh. I’ve always been fond of the play as I was once involved in a student production as assistant director, only that particular production was set on a massive climbing frame, with the actors in boiler suits. And I’ve wanted to do it ever since!

Tab: How did you approach the project? Did you have a clear vision in mind beforehand of how the play should look and feel?

Michael: We decided to set the play in the period in which it was originally intended as we wanted to find the truth. We looked at these characters as real people. We wanted to make them make sense. You can’t care about a character unless you believe in them, so we knew we had to make their situation real.

Tab: How have you approached the set design?

Michael: Kerry Bradley, our designer, created a house style that was as simple as possible. She pared it down, stripped it back and kept it simple. Everything is from the natural world, floral. This allows the play to move from one location to another with more elegance that feels very natural.

Tab: Earnest has often been criticised as being too light-hearted, in that it does not tackle serious social and political issues. Do you think the play’s proposed triviality is a problem, or rather an asset of the play?

Michael: The play is not entirely light hearted. There is a little bit more meat than there used to be in terms of substance. Now we’ve moved on, it feels as though it is more an examination of class at a particular time of history, light-hearted but intuitive. I think Wilde understood the minds of people he was writing about. I guess we can call it political. It’s very much a play about class and their differences. It’s more political than it first seems.

Tab: Has any inspiration been taken from other adaptations of the play?

Michael: Jack’s quest for identity has similarities with the reality show Long Lost Family. Jack is searching for himself, and the play is all about allowing that journey. It casts a long shadow over the play. The play is a one person story. But of course, there is a danger of emphasizing this at the expense of the comedy.

Tab: How have you approached some of the more famous lines in the play, such as the ‘A handbag?’ line?

Michael: Judith Paris plays Lady Bracknell. It’s just another thing she says, no more and no less attention is given to it than any other line in the play. We haven’t made the quotable lines more important as these are things that real people say.

Tab: How has the transition from London to Norwich worked for you and the company?

I’m always excited about coming to Norwich. The Playhouse is a lovely theatre and they are huge supporters. We are flexible, but it was a challenge to make the play work on a technical level. Overall, the company has enjoyed the tour.

Tab: A more personal question now. Who is your favourite character in the play?

Michael: It’s Jack. He wasn’t when I started the play but he is now. I like how you, the audience, follow his journey.

Tab: Why should students come to see this production?

Michael: It will surprise them. Audiences expect a certain type of theatre, when they see our setting it’s a surprise. It’s a slightly different take on the original story as we’re playing it naturally, which has brought out elements that are very funny.

The Importance of Being Earnest will be performed on Tuesday 20 November 7.30pm and Wednesday 21 November 7.30pm at the Norwich Playhouse. Tickets are £8.50 for student groups and can be purchased here.