When you get the assignment to see a work that\u2019s been done so many times before \u2013 countless times on the stage and three times on the screen \u2013 you may have a tendency to roll your eyes a bit and wonder what could possibly be new in this latest iteration.<\/p>\n

Well, for one, this one is played by an all-women cast.<\/p>\n

I did what all non-self-respecting journalists do nowadays when they need to discover something, I Googled \u201cThe Importance of Being Earnest<\/em> all-female cast.\u201d After a few pages of searching, might this actually be new after all? A first, perhaps?<\/p>\n

After all, the satirical nature of the play led to major male actors playing characters such as Lady Bracknell dressed in drag, so why not \u2013 proverbially – flip the script a little bit?<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s good for Geoffrey Rush, certainly it\u2019s okay for Artist Repertory Theater\u2019s Resident Artist Linda Alper, a true talent, with far too many accolades to her name to mention here.<\/p>\n

Held downstairs in one of two of Artist Repertory Theater\u2019s intimate boxes, the intimate setting allows for simple staging design \u2013 per usual \u2013 dominated by the performances of everyone involved.<\/p>\n

And, to be frank, these are certainly dominating performances. You can always tell when someone is having fun at their job and these ladies seem to be having a blast.<\/p>\n

About The Importance of Being Earnest at Artists Repertory Theater<\/span><\/h1>\n

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Neither Earnest, yet always earnest, Jamie M. Rea, who plays the Jack Worthing, snaps at those lapels as though they had been draped on her shoulder since birth. With a ton of credits, including some awarded performances to her name, Rea is simply brilliant.<\/p>\n

Yet to point there is to counterpoint, and here Ayanna Berkshire provides that. Playing the everyman\u2019s lady\u2019s man, Algernon Moncrieff, Berkshire offers up the other side to a quite an earnest coin.<\/p>\n

To be earnest, you are merely showing an intense sincerity or conviction. Though his (hers?) may be of a different stripe, Moncrieff is certainly if nothing else but quite earnest in conviction in his near constant pursuits of young Gwendolyn Fairfax, played capably by Kailey Rhodes, in her first role at Artist\u2019s Rep.<\/p>\n

Other Artist\u2019s Rep stalwarts like Joann Johnson add even more flair, as each character is signified as much by word usage as by tonality and facial expression. By the end of the play, you\u2019ll forget you just watched a group of actresses perform it.<\/p>\n

Utilizing an all-female cast for a work like this works very well.<\/p>\n

Although this work never does take itself too seriously, director Michael Mendelson \u2013 himself usually on-stage playing roles \u2013 infuses it with enough theatrical side glances, that he is able pull off a heavily satirical play while still delivering a healthy dose of something for the audience to leave thinking about. Poking fun at a societal \u201cnorm\u201d still brings light to it, after all, even if they are norms based on a time so long ago.<\/p>\n

Interesting how history replays itself in varying ways, is it not?<\/p>\n

Born in the mid-1850s, Wilde grew up writing plays as a new social movement was taking place. This, the time when the idea of a \u201cNew Woman\u201d was infusing itself into post-Victorian-era thinking, Wilde himself was preparing to tear at the fabric Victorian society by both shining a light into its deepest secrets, reveling in them, and yet mocking them for it.<\/p>\n

And the people loved it.<\/p>\n

Importance Of Being Earnest<\/span><\/h2>\n

Opened on February 14, 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest<\/em> was a huge success. Already known as a brilliant playwright, this work only enhanced his reputation. The show was a sell-out and reviews were off-the-charts, likely one of the largest driving factors behind its success today.<\/p>\n

Utilizing an all-female cast to give it an added edge, something extra and unexpected, was just as brilliant a move as writing the play was in the first place.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, you don\u2019t have much time left to take in this unique adaptation of a lauded classic. The Importance of Being Earnest <\/em>is playing from now through the 11^{th<\/sup> at} Artist\u2019s Repertory Theater<\/a> in Downtown Portland. Visit their website here for show times and more information. This is one clever adaptation you won\u2019t want to miss out on.<\/p>\n

William Bessette<\/strong> \u2013 PDX People Contributor<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>William Bessette is a journalist and freelance writer who has been covering politics, entertainment, culture and travel for over thirteen years. When he\u2019s not profiling Portland-area restaurants and residents, you can find him reporting on national and international travel and eco-tourism through his travel brand, <\/em><\/strong>Floppy Hat Adventures<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Follow William on: <\/strong> Facebook<\/a>\u00a0, Twitter<\/a>\u00a0 Connect with William on:<\/strong> LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n

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