Hobnob Theatre Company’s new show is ‘a trivial comedy for serious people’
Hobnob Theatre Company has made an impact on Butler's downtown arts scene since moving into its new studio space a few months ago.
Offering acting classes, improv nights and more, the company has expanded its role in the local cultural landscape. Now, members have opened their space to fully-staged plays with a talented cast, clever staging and timeless humor in their production of Oscar Wilde's classic farce, “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
The play, a delightful comedy of manners filled with mistaken identities and clever misdirection, opens with Algernon Moncrieff and his butler, Lane, discussing the horrors of marriage. These witty exchanges are a hallmark of the play, and the actors deliver these lines with a natural conversational tone, making them feel fresh and spontaneous.
Justin Anderson shines in the role of Algernon, a dandyish young man who revels in pleasure and mischief. His chemistry with Daniel Williams, who plays Jack Worthing, is palpable, and their banter crackles with energy.
Under Duane Peters’ skillful direction, Williams infuses Jack with physicality and wit, particularly in scenes where he pursues Algernon around the small space.
Deanna Sparrow brings a flirty charm to Gwendolyn (and utters the classic Wilde line, “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train”) while Gail Suhr embodies the formidable matriarchal Lady Augusta with grandeur.
Sarah Altomari's portrayal of Cecily captures her naive yet endearing nature as she bemoans her German grammar lessons. Jud Stewart's performance as the idiosyncratic Dr. Chasuble adds a touch of kindness and sometimes seems to be the only sane character on stage.
Miss Prism (Amy Dittman — full disclosure — Amy is my wife) is the pedantic governess who melts upon seeing her secret crush and whose fan snaps and crackles in the second act as her long-hidden secret which sets the plot into motion is revealed. The pair of butlers are bookends with Dean Weiland’s Lane fully invested in the madness while Jeff Myer’s punningly named Merriman is droll and poker-faced as the schemes unspool around him.
The production is an experience in a way not many shows are. Stage manager Casey Hoolahan keeps things moving briskly in the hobnob studio’s tiny jewel box of a space; the actors are close enough for the audience to see sweat occasionally beading on their foreheads and catch every nuance of the lines being spoken: a visual experience comparable to making the shift to an HD TV.
Add Wilde’s frothy epigraphs and viewers feel like they’re eavesdropping on an extraordinarily witty coffee shop conversation rather than attending a traditional show.
The play's enduring message about treating trivial matters seriously and vice versa resonates even today. There’s a place for farce in our lives, or there should be. “You never say anything but nonsense,” chides Jack at one point. “No one ever does,” replies Algy.
Such silliness provides a welcome respite from a world that can sometimes seem to be spinning along without our consent or understanding. Relax, the cast and crew of “The Importance of Earnest” tell us; sit down, and chat a little. Just keep your hands off the cucumber sandwiches on the tea tray; Algy has already claimed them.
If You’re Going
WHO: Hobnob Theatre Company
WHAT: “The Importance of Being Earnest”
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Hobnob Studio Theatre, 134 S. Main St.
TICKETS: $15 at hobnobtheatre.com.
NOTES: The show runs for 130 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.
