by Caroline Gentile ’13, Co-Editor-In-Chief

If I had to use one word to describe the Upper School’s Varsity theater team’s rendition of “The Importance of Being Earnest”, it would be ‘authentic.’ With the posh British accents and mannerisms and the onstage consumption of actual tea and cucumber sandwiches, I felt as though I had actually been transported into late Victorian London to observe the shenanigans of two young men, Algernon and Earnest, portrayed by Shashank Jejurikar ’13 and Will Bernish ’13, respectively.

Earnest has set his sights on Gwendolen (played by both Annie Nesbitt ’13 and Holly Dayton ’13) the daughter of the haughty Lady Augusta Bracknell (played by Khreah Everett ’13 and Victoria Paff ’14) and the niece of Algernon. However, Earnest is forbidden from marrying Gwendolen by her overbearing mother, who deems Earnest insufficient for her cultured, aristocratic daughter. Algernon falls in love with Earnest’s pretty, young ward, Cecily Cardew (played by Sarah Gamblin ’13 and Rachel Epstein ’14), but Earnest disapproves of letting “little Cecily” marry such an immoral, arrogant man as Algernon. Throughout the play, both Algernon and Earnest do whatever it takes, including changing their identities, to marry their respective loves.

The complicated plot, coupled with the sometimes incomprehensible British accents of the actors, was hard to follow in some

parts. But once I got accustomed to the accents, it was much easier to understand what was going on. One particular scene featuring Algernon and Earnest, known as “The Muffin Scene” to the cast, was by far the most memorable scene of the whole performance for reasons I encourage you to discover by attending one of the four shows.

The four performances schedule:
Thursday, October 25 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 27 at 1:00 and 7:00 p.m.