The Importance of Being Earnest: Oxford Shakespeare Company, Wadham College Gardens (From The Oxford Times)

The Importance of Being Earnest: Oxford Shakespeare Company, Wadham College Gardens

12:31pm Wednesday 3rd August 2011 in Theatre By Giles Woodforde

That hoary old chestnut Come Into the Garden, Maud introduces the Oxford Shakespeare Company’s revival of The Importance of Being Earnest. And an extremely well watered garden it was too, following a torrential downpour beforehand, and further spurts of rain as the show proceeded.

But neither Algernon (Nicholas Chambers) nor Jack (Benjamin Wells) was having any truck with umbrellas. Both somehow managed to remain immaculately debonair as, unprotected, they began to discuss the mythical Bunbury, whose attacks of ill health call Algernon away into the country whenever any distasteful social occasion looms. The verbal sparring between them, absolutely crucial to this play, is expertly delivered, with Algernon radiating an infuriatingly laid-back manner, and Jack prone to irritable outbursts.

Jack has come to town to propose to Algernon’s cousin Gwendolyn, daughter of the famously snobbish Lady Bracknell. In Alicia Davies’s beautifully observed portrayal, Gwendolyn is very much her mother in the making: first sweeping on with a look suggesting an unpleasant smell beneath her nose, a crocodile-like smile emerges once the subject of marriage is mentioned. As for Lady B herself, she’s a man, although Howard Gossington quickly makes you forget the fact: he is every inch a grand, imperious lady, without any hint of inappropriate camping it up. Lady B peers into the audience, as if checking whether anyone present is sufficiently high-born to be worthy of acknowledgement, and her lips curl gloriously in horror as she utters the famous: “A handbag?”

Also cross-dressed is robust Miss Prism (Andrew Piper), who has caused all the mayhem in the first place by depositing the handbag at Victoria Station. She is ardently pursued by Canon Chasuble, but again the relationship is played entirely straight, with no gay overtones. James Lavender’s Chasuble is a cameo performance to relish — a scholarly cleric of the old school, his mouth drops open in amazement at each new turn of events. Completing a first-class cast are Alyssa Noble as a sparky Cecily, and Kai Simmons, a butler who stoically carries out his master’s every daft command.

Adrian Lillie’s period costumes look just right in Chris Pickles’s production, which is delivered with exemplary clarity and expert comic timing. Even in the rain, this Earnest leaves you with a warm glow inside.

In repertory with The Comedy of Errors until August 26. Tickets from Tickets Oxford.