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Galleon Theatre Company presents A Woman of No Importance
by Oscar Wilde
Directed by Bruce Jamieson
Greenwich Playhouse
14 Dec 2010 – 16 Jan 2011
A review by Carmen Nasr for EXTRA! EXTRA! This time last year, Galleon Theatre Company was revelling in the huge box office success and critical acclaim of its production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, now a year on and they’re taking Wilde out for another spin, this time in the form of the perhaps lesser known, but just as witty, A Woman of No Importance. With the critics’ praises still ringing in our ears, it seems Greenwich Playhouse’s latest Wildean Christmas offering might have given themselves a bit of a tough act to follow. A deliciously witty and typically cynical slice of Wilde’s social comedies, A Woman of No Importance plays out at a naturally decadent gathering of the upper classes in the English countryside. The action begins as Lady Hunstanton hosts a collection of well-to-do society guests at her country estate. Among this aristocratic bunch is the amorally outspoken Lord Illingworth, the somewhat naïve and eager young Gerald Arbuthnot, the dashing and idealistic young American heiress Miss Hester Worsley and Gerald’s mother, the rather reclusive Mrs. Arbuthnot, who also happens to be harbouring a scandalous secret. This scathing social satire exposes the hypocrisy of a society that gladly celebrates the sexual misdemeanours of its men, yet reprimands those of its women. With a combination of Wilde’s particularly clever brand of wit, a dose of scandalous revelations and some gripping dramatics, the play promises everything one naturally expects. With the intention of placing the production within ‘a specific British socio-political context’, Galleon Theatre Company attempts to put its own stamp on the play by shifting the action from Victorian England to a Christmas party sometime in the late 1950s; and quite a relevant relocation it proves to be. Wilde’s nineteenth century text lends itself surprisingly well to the social climate of the fifties, particularly in relation to the characters’ preoccupation with the changing roles of women in society, a topic which almost dominates the cavalier witticisms of most conversations. In the character of Hester, the young American heiress, the late fifties dawn of America’s economic, cultural and political dominance makes itself felt. Her repeated challenging of the norms of British society is laughed off by her British companions, and in this new historical context they appear all the more self-important and foolish. A clever and relevant relocation from director Bruce Jamieson. Although this re-setting of the play appears able to manifest itself well in the text, the production however seems to do little else to relocate to the fifties. Other than some fabulous fifties frocks and suits from costume designer Eleanor Wdowski and a little music from the era, it was at times easy to forget at what point in the timeline we were supposed to be. The set in this respect was somewhat disappointing, and perhaps something more daring and ambitious than a minimalist selection of mock Victoriana furnishings would have been more suitable. Even with the costumes and music, I found myself wondering if there were corsets hidden under those dresses. The cast delivered Wilde’s infamous wit with sparkling performances all round, and practically every sentence that came out of Darrie Gardner’s mouth as the mercilessly ostentatious Lady Caroline, produced widespread laughter in the audience. Mary Lincoln delivered a truly touching performance as the long-suffering Mrs. Arbuthnot, a real accomplishment in the midst of such endless witticisms and ruthless cynicism, while Kevin Marchant oozed sleazy and flirtatious conceit as the wayward Lord Illingworth. Louise Tyler must be commended for her endeavours to bring a little more of the noticeably lacking fifties detail to the production. The American accent she adopted for the role of Miss Hester Worsley channelled the clipped mid-western accent of old Hollywood, a detail which often goes amiss in most theatre and film productions of America’s past. Impressive performances and solid direction make this a quality performance, yet the relatively reserved attempt at a fifties transformation, something that appears to be at the heart of Galleon Theatre Company’s vision for this play, leaves it somewhat outwitted by Wilde’s text. Staying true to his flamboyant reputation it is Wilde’s charm and his piercing words that take centre stage.
Box Office: 020 8858 9256 Greenwich Playhouse 7.30pm Tue to Sat and 4pm Sun £12/£10 Concession
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