THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Kaos Theatre Touring

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST: Oscar Wilde
Kaos Theatre: Touring till 30 March
Details: www.kaostheatre.com: 0207 700 3885
Runs: 2h 20m, one interval
Review: Rod Dungate, 17 March 2003, mac Birmingham

You won't forget it vigorous, hilarious, anarchic
An extraordinary production you'll either hate it or love it. But you won't forget it. The young audience around me certainly loved it: some of the less young, though, looked slightly bemused (but by no means all.)

It is an odd concept to take one of the great text based plays and then physicalise it. But that's what Kaos do and the result is something to behold. This is highly energised stuff, often in-yer-face, irreverent, brash, downright wicked. It's also intelligent and thought through. Kaos like to have their muffins and bread-and-butter and eat them too inviting us to the party.

Performers both present the dynamics that underlie the text (the actions of the text) and present ideas that exist outside the text - ideas that we think but (being well brought up) prefer not to say. The effect is liberating and at times hilarious. There may be a feeling of anarchism about the production but we sense care and commitment: the text, for the most part, is carefully preserved.

In the forefront of all this fun is the suppressed and repressed sexuality inherent in the text. All the characters one way or another are at it frequently at it several ways, no holds are barred. A tea party may become slapstick (Algernon and Jack) or wrestling and spanking (Cecily and Gwendolen). Characters are literally outed appearing from and disappearing into a closet.

The production is the result of strong teamwork. Jack Corcoran (Algernon) and Ralf Higgins (Jack) make a great pair balancing each others' style, bouncing their comedy back and forwards like an outrageous beach ball. Jane Hartley's sneering, coke snorting Lady Bracknell is an hilarious force to be reckoned with and Catherine Skinner's jolly-hockysticks Cecily is quite delicious (hm, what does that say about me?)

Algernon Moncrieff: Jack Corcoran
Gwendolen Fairfax: Sarah Desmond
Lady Bracknell: Jane Hartley
Jack Worthing: Ralf Higgins
Rev Chasuble/ Lane: Jake Oldershaw
Cecily Cardew: Catherine Skinner
Miss Prism/ Maid: Sarah Thom

Director: Xavier Leret
Assistant Director: Kate Varney
Designer: Sarah Blenkinsop
Design Associate: Julia Pascoe
Lighting: Bruno Edwards
Musical Director, Singing Coach: Maria Jagusz
Soundtrack: Jules Bushell

Tour Details Remaining: 18 20 March Darlington Arts Centre, 21 March Brewery Arts, Kendall, 25 30 March Merlin Theatre Budapest

2003-03-19 09:24:41