The stars of Earnest delivered their final performance at Lincoln’s Black Box Theater on the night of Saturday, September 19. The Oscar Wilde classic, which is Lincoln’s first theatre production of the year, followed the humorous endeavors of John “Jack” Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff as they attempted to woo dream girls Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew. Throughout the performance, audiences clung to their seats as they were taken on a riveting journey into the lives of two very fascinating Englishmen — lives filled with passionate romance, secret identities, and cucumber sandwiches.

Through much of the play, best friends Jack and Algernon found themselves faced with a troubling predicament. While they had indeed succeeded in securing the attention of Gwendolen and Cecily respectively, the two women were absolutely insistent that whoever they married must carry the name Ernest. Through carefully constructed ruses, both men are temporarily able to convince their loves that they are both named Ernest, consequently resulting in a series of comedic events. Meanwhile, Lady Bracknell — the mother of Gwendolen and aunt of Algernon — remained a significant obstacle standing between the two pairs of lovebirds. Other characters like Miss Prism, Rev. Chasuble, Lane, and Merriman are encountered along the way. In their rather trivial quest for love, Jack and Algernon went to great lengths and faced impossibly daunting obstacles, all in the hopes that they may one day wed their sweethearts.

Set in the year 1895, the play featured an abundance of beautiful Victorian-era costumes and sets. Female characters wore elaborate floor-length gowns and ornate hair accessories while their male counterparts were dressed in dapper-looking, traditional suits. The stage set for Algernon’s flat incorporated gorgeous furniture and decor set upon a lacy fuchsia backdrop. Scenes at the manor house had a cozier atmosphere — a functional swing was even brought down for use onstage. Between acts, the sets were expertly exchanged by the technical crew.

In addition, the production featured two phenomenal casts, each offering a unique twist to their individual characters. The Turnbridge cast performed four shows from September 10th to September 12th, and the Shropshire cast appeared in the September 17-19 performances.

“It was really fun because it was only a BiTCo show so it was a small cast and we all got to talk to each other,” said Dimitri Charitou, who played Algernon in both the Turnbridge and Shropshire cast. “It was like a bonding experience. Especially because it was our first [show] so we didn’t really know each other as much…so I think that was really cool. My favorite part of the play was having to eat all the cucumber sandwiches; I ate like 64 for the whole show. And the muffins, that was fun eating all that food.”

“It was a really really awesome experience and I learned so much about the time period and about Oscar Wilde,” said actress Sophie Philipson, a member of the Turnbridge cast. “I had a lot of fun playing Cecily, I felt like I connected with her a lot. I really loved getting to know everyone so well and putting on this amazing show together and seeing everyone who came to see it like it so much.”

“I was Lane and he was kind of a more serious character and I really liked it,” said Roy Nguyen, who performed with the Shropshire cast. “Working with actors like Dimitri and Zane who were Algernon and Jack, the leads of the show, was really great. Even though I didn’t have a big part, I think it was a really great experience studying the play and learning about the Victorian era and how people acted, and about what they thought was important. My favorite part about the play was in the end, when Jack tells everybody that his name really is Ernest John and how it wraps together and every lie he told became the truth and I thought that was pretty hilarious.”

The show’s talented cast was led by Mr. Manthe, Lincoln’s very own theater expert. He, along with all the BiTCo actors and technical staff, invested countless hours in order to put on a fantastic show for audiences.

“They showed incredible work ethic as our new bell schedule pushes our rehearsal very late. We go home at 6:30 or later on most rehearsal nights and after 10:00 on performance nights. The lack of audience members from our student body and faculty is disturbing. Very few students at Lincoln saw the play that is read in English classes and only three teachers attended even though there was the offer to see the play for free as a teacher, staff member or even a class of students.”

Despite these bumps in the road, The Importance of Being Earnest was a hit with playgoers. Lincoln Theater’s next production, Xanadu, promises many surprises.

“Disco balls and roller skates!” said Mr. Manthe. Xanadu is a musical and opens on November 5th, so get your tickets now!