The Importance of Being Earnest

This play allowed me tempt my Oscar Wilde loving friend into London from the wilds of East Anglia. Only just, as someone jumping under a train at Romford almost meant he missed it - certainly lunch together fell by the wayside. While jumping in front of a train might be a good life choice if you live in Romford, it was certainly inconvenient.

The current production is a rather clever play within a play. The real play is being performed as last rehearsal by an Amateur Dramatics Society. This allows, as a little joke, the main actors, Martin Jarvis and Nigel Havers, to be ridiculously overaged to play young suitors. In my view it all worked very well though. 81 year old Sian Phillips I thought struggled a bit as Lady Bracknell, seemingly happy to get the lines out  rather than act, but then I found she had been struggling with throat problem.

As it turned out, I think we both liked the production although it hasn't had great critical acclaim. Th eplot is awful, but no doubt pretty standard fair for the Victorian theatre. But this hamminess is made up fo by Wilde's witty lines.

And to make up for our missed lunch we instead withdrew to the RAC club for an early dinner with lots of wine. A very fine day thank you.