Have you always dreamed of being named Ernest? Over the weekend the Kenyon College Players (KCP) put on The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde in the Harlene Marley Theater. The play is a comedy that follows two men attempting to marry women under the false pretense of being named Ernest. Taking place in the Victorian era, the themes of marriage, class and family are tackled in a wild goose chase of misunderstandings. Algernon Moncrieff, a flamboyant aristocrat, pursues Cecily Cardew, the ward of Jack Worthing, who woos Gwendolen Fairfax. However, with the added friction of societal standards, the proposals face push back and result in a web of lies by Algernon and Jack. Lin McDow ’26 directed Kenyon’s version of this famous work and beautifully succeeded in embodying the famous wit and pace of Wilde’s play. 

The stage featured multiple sets that were all crucial to the play’s physical comedy. The first was decorated with a beautiful lounge chair, a table and some delicious-looking cucumber sandwiches. In the next scene, the audience was transported to Cecily’s garden of roses and ivy-covered brick walls. Finally, the play ended in Cecily’s living room. One of my favorite prop details was the choice to make Cecily’s infamous journal a modern pink and fluffy locked notebook. When asked about that detail, McDow commented, “The diary specifically was an homage to a production of the play The Moors that went up last spring, but it also felt like a good comedic beat and very in-character for Cecily.”

Despite its well-crafted set, the actors were the biggest contributors to the play’s success. Without question, Ethan Greenzang ’27 was a showstopper. Greenzang, playing Algernon,  utilized strong physical comedy to further his already hilarious character. Whether lounging on the couch or scrounging down muffins in Cecily’s garden, his facial expressions left the audience in laughter-driven tears. Jack “Ernest” Worthing, played by Rayaan Shaik ’29, also garnered great laughs while portraying the panic of a man not being able to marry the woman he loves. Both Shaik and Greenzang made the stage their own and were often on their feet moving about. 

The play’s female characters were equally compelling. Gwendolen and Cecily were played by May Buchanan ’26 and Lindsay Lancaster ’29, respectively. Despite their many differences, the characters united over a desire to marry a man named Ernest, and this friendship truly shined on stage. Lady Bracknell, played by Anna Markwardt ’29, was convincingly difficult and stuck in her ways as an aunt. 

When asked about their actors’ performances, McDow said, “The actors made this possible by giving all the characters genuine personalities, lifting them from collections of jokes and gaffes into fully-formed nuanced performances. I am always of the opinion that a play (and the characters in it) should believe in their world, even if said world is absurd, like that of Earnest.  … If the characters are uninvested or don’t care, why should the audience care?”