The Seattle Shakespeare Company’s production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde will be presented April 17-20 in the Gesa Power House Theatre in Walla Walla.
The performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. on April 17-19 and 2 p.m. on April 19-20.
“The Importance of Being Earnest” is about two leading men (Jack and Algernon) who fall for two ladies who each have their hearts set on marrying a man named Ernest. In order to pursue the romances, both men pretend to be Ernest. When the formidable character of Lady Bracknell begins sleuthing about for the far-fetched truth, the elaborate deception begins to unravel and in the end everyone is surprised by the truth that hides beneath it all.
According to director Victor Pappas, “Earnest,” the last play Wilde wrote, was a departure from his previous works in that it focuses less on serious social commentary and more on the humor and triviality he observed in society.
“He calls the play a trivial play for serious people,” says Pappas. “It says: ‘Look at the things we take seriously and look at the things we treat as trivial. I’m going to invert that, and that’s going to be a reflection of our society.’ ”
The 2014 Shakespeare Walla Walla Mainstage Season is made possible through a partnership with the Seattle Shakespeare Company.
For the latest information and to purchase tickets, go to the Shakespeare Walla Walla website. www.shakespearewallawalla.org .
