Anchored by two stellar performances and a set that looks like a rose garden vomited in the best possible way, 6th Street Playhouse’s current production of Oscar Wilde’s iconic classic, The Importance of Being Earnest, will make one smile like a dolt. The show runs in Santa Rosa on 6th Street’s Monroe Stage through May 11.
Classic, farcical scripts don’t always hold up over the generations. But Wilde’s tale of two scheming charmers who call themselves “Ernest” and the two very romantically specific women who lust over them still does, with its brilliant wit and sharp social commentary.
Every word spoken is a straight zinger. Director Lauren Heney dashes her production with anachronistic and fanciful flair in the form of a rose-bedecked ceiling, conveniently appearing props and classically inspired pop instrumentals while keeping the set (with its rich floral motif by Laurynn Malilay) and costumes (by Mae Heagerty-Matos) properly Victorian.
This is a play that actors love, as the characters offer lots of opportunity for physical and vocal comedy. The ensemble is successful in their energy and camaraderie, with scene-stealing work by Eileen Morris (best accent of the cast) and Be Wilson. Mary Gannon Graham will have one in stitches with merely one word (they’ll know it when it happens) while David Noll plays it (mostly) wonderfully straight.
The four principals execute their roles quite smartly with a variety of choices. Katherine Rupers gives her naive Cecily Cardew a twisted Disney-princess edge, while Damion Matthews seems to be channeling several Monty Python characters in both voice and mannerism, with his Jack Worthing building up to a frenzied crescendo over muffins.
But the show belongs to Drew Bolander and Sarah Dunnavant as the wily and stylish Algernon Moncrieff and the imperious but refined Gwendolyn Fairfax. They personify an actor’s commitment from their first entrances and never let up.
Dunnavant chews all the scenery, imbuing Gwendolyn with an aggressive intensity that is bonkers but truthful to Wilde’s eccentricity and slyness. Bolander is more subtle and period-appropriate but never misses a knowing beat as he glides around the stage, clearly relishing the role. Their performances alone make this production more than worth the price of admission.
And remember, it feels SO good to laugh right now.
‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ runs through May 11 on Monroe Stage at 6th Street Playhouse, 52 W. 6th St., Santa Rosa. Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm; Sat & Sun, 2pm. $29-$48. 707.523.4185. 6thstreetplayhouse.com.
