On December 6th 2025, Exeposé was invited to attend the maiden voyage of Vitruvian Theatre with their production of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. The atmosphere and staging were beautiful and stylish, with a tall and classically ornamented Christmas tree at the end of a traverse stage and piano covers of Christmas music playing.
For those unfamiliar with the plot, it is one hard to describe without revealing everything. Jack Worthing uses the false identity of ‘Earnest’, his fake brother, to lead an indiscreet life in the city and protect the prospects and standing of his ward, Cecily. His friend, Algernon, uses Jack’s false identity in an attempt to meet Cecily, who believes Earnest is her guardian’s mysterious brother, while Jack is diverted trying to prove himself to Lady Bracknell that he is worthy of marrying her ward, and his love, Gwendolyn. It is a story of mistaken identities, the quest for social standing and for love; a comedy of beautiful chaos.
The first moments capture the viewer as the characters in costumes befitting the high society setting are introduced with a catwalk, melding into a party from which the character of Algernon, played by Seamus Casey, emerges to sit at a piano and converse with his butler, Lane. The traverse stage, a risky choice for audience visibility, was used exceptionally, with some kind of action or emotion always visible, even when the cast was crowding the small stage. Enthralling from the start, there was a sharp back and forth between all members of the cast, quick jabs and effective physical comedy kept the audience watching a tennis match of friendly (and unfriendly) negotiations between characters.
A notable mention is that of William Powell, playing the dual roles of Lane and Merriman, the butlers for both Algernon and Jack. A character with few lines but an impressive comedic presence on the stage, creating moments of laugh-out-loud comedy. Too, with excellent comedic wit and timing, Madeleine Sutcliffe plays the stubborn and sharp personality of Cecily with a natural grace. The scenes between her and Evvie Potamitis’ Gwendolyn punch quickly between jokes, especially in their antagonistic tea date as they argue over who “Earnest” truly loves. There is easy chemistry across the whole cast without a weak link present. You would not have thought this production had only been rehearsed over a couple of months.
It is a story of mistaken identities, the quest for social standing and for love; a comedy of beautiful chaos.
The stage remained alive and visually interesting throughout, characters very rarely being static and the whole cast giving a high energy that was engaging and hilarious to watch. The choices of lighting are wonderful, with lighting beams along the sides of the stage creating a sense of Christmas warmth and cozy fireplaces in winter. I advise everyone to look out for whatever this new production company decides to tackle next.
