Theatre buffs know Oscar Wilde’s classic The Importance of Being Earnest well, and have probably seen multiple productions and film adaptations. Classic quotes like “To lose one parent… [is] a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness” or the “haaaaandbaaaaag” are locked into core memories.

But for the average punter at the Adelaide Fringe, it is possibly not quite so ingrained. So what would you do if you were suddenly called up on stage to play a lead role, speaking Wilde’s somewhat abridged words?

The UK team of Say It Again, Sorry? brings this madcap rendition to Gluttony and tests out this question, highlighting the joy and community of live performance. The setting begins exactly as expected in Algernon’s townhouse, discussing the previous evening’s frivolities with his servant, Lane. It has all the foppishness of Wilde with a slightly heightened performance style of melodrama; a wink to what is about to occur. When the actor expected to enter as Jack Worthington does not appear, the director takes to the stage to look for a replacement cast member. From here, well, hilarity ensues and chaos reigns.

While audience participation may be the biggest fear of some (e.g. this reviewer), it is easy enough to choose an appropriate seat in the big Peacock tent to either hide from the scouring eyes of director Simon, or draw attention begging to be picked. Josh Haberfield as the put-upon director has a talent for picking who will play along best. His questioning and keen eye clearly knows what might make a good selection at each performance. Do not be fooled, as there are no plants in this audience. Everyone brought up on stage is the genuine hapless audience member, seemingly picked for minimal theatre experience and looking completely unlike the character they are replacing.

Haberfield is a part of a well-oiled machine in the ensemble of performers who not only maintain caricatures of the actors playing their assigned roles, but herding what ends up being a large group of cats about the stage in ill-fitting costumes, wigs and even ready with a pair of glasses if needed! Each team member demonstrates a real love for the train wreck occurring and cares for the audience members as they navigate the mayhem. It is the community of theatre encapsulated, and a riff on “the show must go on”.

It takes skill to pull off iconic roles like these… but it takes talent to play it with an added layer of improvisation and a “yes, and…” gusto. This ensemble is committed and skilled, but offers a freshness to what can sometimes be stuffy roles. 

Guido Garcia Lueches as Tony/Algernon is suitably camp and plays the terrible actor with skill, offering a lot of physical humour and energy. Trynity Silk as Jennifer/Gwendoline is seemingly poised and lovely, but devolves into a hot mess when props go awry. Judith Amsenga as Eleanor/Lady Bracknell holds all of the gravitas one expects from such a leading lady, throwing in some wonderful winks at the archetype of the “grande dame”. Her downfall is the most ironic, yet tragic of all. Rounding out the ensemble is Rhees Tees as Graham, whose double act as Rev. Chasuble and Miss Prism is an astoundingly funny feat that can only be appreciated live. Finally, Ben Mann endears us all with his mostly mute Josh, the stage manager who runs for scripts, resets the stage and generally saves the day scene by scene. His physicality and natural reactions to the ring-in cast members is sweet and hilarious. The bunnings cardboard signage was a nice Aussie touch from this UK team.

All of this directed by Simon Paris and co-written by Paris, Josh King and the Company gives what could easily be a tedious train wreck, the strongest of foundations and a guiding hand to keep the humour and slickness required for quality improvisation alive. There are visual gags, easter egg references to other iconic scripts and no doubt new ideas and moments at every performance.

As noted in the promo video for this production, “it takes five seconds of bravery” to step into a production you know nothing about, playing a role for which you have never rehearsed. Yet that act of bravery is lovingly supported by this fantastic troupe, creating a sense of being in it together. Everyone roots for the actors and the ring-ins to create fun, entertaining mayhem. No performance is the same because of this lightning in a jar, so the rewatch on this production is going to be high. 

If you take your Wilde very seriously and purely, then perhaps this production might not be for you. For everyone else, …Earnest? is playing for the entirety of the Fringe, allowing plenty of time for your return. Don’t miss it.