The Importance of Being… Earnest? from theatre company Say It Again, Sorry? is a show unlike any other I have ever seen before. This comedic and interactive show is guaranteed to keep you entertained from start to finish.
As the show begins it quickly becomes apparent that all is not how it should be, when the star of the show Earnest is nowhere to be seen. It is up to a randomly selected audience member to fill this role. However, Earnest isn’t the only cast member to not successfully fulfil his role in the show. As the show goes on more and more cast members become unfit to perform in the most comedic ways, therefore more innocent audience members are selected to fill in these roles, put into full costume, ending the show with a full audience cast.
This old set show with modern references is led by the director Simon, he uses fun and interactive ways to pick which audience members are up for the challenge of performing on stage. These consist of throwing balls to select audience members to participate in an open call audition and simply just picking on audience members he thinks would suit the part. There are a total of 7 audience members that get the chance to perform on stage giving many opportunities for anyone to volunteer.
There is no doubt that every show of The Importance of Being… Earnest? has its own unique twists. I loved how the actors used quick thinking to turn their original script lines into whatever the audience member came up with on the spot. This show feels extremely genuine when watching even when the actors are trying to stick to their lines. Another thing I really enjoyed watching was the actors just carrying on as normal, like when a prop was out of place, such as a glass that was meant to have whisky poured into it and the whisky quickly ended up on the floor. The small details in this show really shine through.
The further into the show you get, the more chaotic the show becomes. The actors are leading, and the audience members have absolutely no choice but to follow. The questions and prompts being used by the actors become more panicked which definitely adds to the comedic side of the show. The performance becomes more interactive with so many more audience members, the front two rows become the script, holding up large pieces of cardboard. This section was an absolute hit with everyone in the audience due to the unfortunate cut offs causing many innuendos. The show closes with a very full circle moment, with a visit from an unexpected cast member, initiating that there was some sort of underlying storyline underneath all the chaos.
The Importance of Being… Earnest? is way more than just a show at a theatre, it’s an experience for everyone, not just the audience members that are picked to participate. I would highly recommend this show to anyone that’s looking for a light-hearted evening at the theatre. If you like comedy, audience participation and uncertainty within a show this one is definitely for you!
The show is on a very limited run – you can catch it up until Saturday 11th November 2023. Get tickets here.
There is also a pre-show Theatre Making Seminar on Saturday 11th November at 16:30 with the company who will be telling you all you need to know about turning your ideas into a reality on the stage and answering your burning questions about theatre-making. Book here.
The Importance of Being… Earnest? from theatre company Say It Again, Sorry? is a show unlike any other I have ever seen before. This comedic and interactive show is guaranteed to keep you entertained from start to finish.
As the show begins it quickly becomes apparent that all is not how it should be, when the star of the show Earnest is nowhere to be seen. It is up to a randomly selected audience member to fill this role. However, Earnest isn’t the only cast member to not successfully fulfil his role in the show. As the show goes on more and more cast members become unfit to perform in the most comedic ways, therefore more innocent audience members are selected to fill in these roles, put into full costume, ending the show with a full audience cast.
This old set show with modern references is led by the director Simon, he uses fun and interactive ways to pick which audience members are up for the challenge of performing on stage. These consist of throwing balls to select audience members to participate in an open call audition and simply just picking on audience members he thinks would suit the part. There are a total of 7 audience members that get the chance to perform on stage giving many opportunities for anyone to volunteer.
There is no doubt that every show of The Importance of Being… Earnest? has its own unique twists. I loved how the actors used quick thinking to turn their original script lines into whatever the audience member came up with on the spot. This show feels extremely genuine when watching even when the actors are trying to stick to their lines. Another thing I really enjoyed watching was the actors just carrying on as normal, like when a prop was out of place, such as a glass that was meant to have whisky poured into it and the whisky quickly ended up on the floor. The small details in this show really shine through.
The further into the show you get, the more chaotic the show becomes. The actors are leading, and the audience members have absolutely no choice but to follow. The questions and prompts being used by the actors become more panicked which definitely adds to the comedic side of the show. The performance becomes more interactive with so many more audience members, the front two rows become the script, holding up large pieces of cardboard. This section was an absolute hit with everyone in the audience due to the unfortunate cut offs causing many innuendos. The show closes with a very full circle moment, with a visit from an unexpected cast member, initiating that there was some sort of underlying storyline underneath all the chaos.
The Importance of Being… Earnest? is way more than just a show at a theatre, it’s an experience for everyone, not just the audience members that are picked to participate. I would highly recommend this show to anyone that’s looking for a light-hearted evening at the theatre. If you like comedy, audience participation and uncertainty within a show this one is definitely for you!
The show is on a very limited run – you can catch it up until Saturday 11th November 2023. Get tickets here.
There is also a pre-show Theatre Making Seminar on Saturday 11th November at 16:30 with the company who will be telling you all you need to know about turning your ideas into a reality on the stage and answering your burning questions about theatre-making. Book here.