by Joseph Szalinski
Oscar Wilde’s known for many things. Being dead is one of them. But his legacy lives on in the form of productions of his plays, ham-fisted references to books people only read the Spark Notes of in high school, and lost Jim Morrison fans at the Père Lachaise Cemetery. The first example is why I mention the expired socialite, because director/co-set designer Duane Peters is helming a rendition of “The Importance of Being Earnest” for Hobnob Theatre Company at Hobnob Studio Theatre in Butler, PA.
A classic tale of an artist and a paint—wait, no, wrong story. Ah, yes. A classic tale of mix-ups, nominative determinism, and cucumber sandwiches. Well, maybe not the last one. Seems they’re all gone. Drat.
Daniel Williams does double duty as Jack/Earnest Worthing and also as the production’s “unofficial accent consultant,” being the only cast member from “across the pond,” as it were. And I don’t mean Lake Arthur. His comedic chops, which are the highlight of his performance, are paired perfectly with those of Justin Anderson as Algernon Moncrieff, who fully embraces the bunburyist’s silliness and physicality. The scene with the cigarette case is awfully amusing.
Countering the bumbling men are Gwendolyn Fairfax (Deanna Sparrow), Cecily Cardew (Sarah Altomari), Lady Augusta Bracknell (Gail Suhr), and Miss Laetitia Prism (Amy Dittman). Sparrow and Altomari brilliantly wield sincerity in tandem with their comedic sensibilities, enabling them to have terrific chemistry in scenes together or with other actors. Suhr stokes the fires of conflict with her vexatious performance, lending a necessary intensity to the narrative. Dittman delivers a delightful portrayal as a tutor who just so happens to be infamously forgetful.
The cast also features Jud Stewart as Dr. Frederick Chasuble, Dean Weiland as Lane, and Jeff Myers as Merriman. The latter two serve Algernon and Jack, respectively. Their shared strength is being able to do so much with so little. A handful of words at certain times or some sort of simple action gets a lot of laughs. Likewise, Chasuble’s presence peppers the play with plenty of humor, which Stewart hilariously executes.
In addition to many wonderful performances, this production also showcases a great deal of technical talent. The costuming, overseen by Wynee Jenkins, David Halin, and producer Elizabeth Smith, is impeccable. Every character is adorned with an outfit that not only telegraphs their social standing and the like, but also elements of their personalities. The set, though minimal, helps immerse audiences into the world/time period, with the revolving wall piece being especially ingenious. All of this is complemented by skillful lighting and sound design by the other co-set designer, Ken Smith.
Hobnob dazzles with their inaugural production at their new home. While a great show is good in and of itself, it’s even better that this is but the beginning of a slew of shows planned for the year. And it’s not just public domain plays like they built their initial reputation on, but also original works, improv comedy nights, and all manner of live performances they can cram into their cozy space. It’s exciting what Hobnob has planned, and how it’ll not only benefit the immediate community, but the overall Greater Pittsburgh theatre scene as well.
“The Importance of Being Earnest” continues its run March 21-24 at Hobnob Studio Theatre in Butler, PA
