TEA WITH OSCAR WILDE IN PASADENA
REVIEW: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST
BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO
Immersive theatre is on the rise all over the world, and now LA’s 413 Project Theater makes its contribution with a sophisticated experience that combines high tea dinner with a performance of Oscar Wilde’s beloved comic masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest.
Jacob Betts (L) and Tamarah Ashton (R)
There are no curtains, or even a stage in sight, but instead the opulence of the of a 1920′s French Quarter-style mansion which has been converted into a full-service restaurant and event venue—Pasadena’s Madeline Gardens Bistro is the stage for the evening. And the action takes place in the center of a former living room in front of a giant fireplace—it’s like actors coming into to your home to perform a play. Guests are seated in booths then served a high tea dinner while enjoying the performance of Wilde’s farcical play. Dinner includes three choices of tea (Lavender Mint Mulberry is my favorite) and a tiered dinner selection with two chef’s daily desserts.
The grand conceit of Wilde’s play is a hilarious case of mistaken identity, also featured in the scope of the play is a satire of Victorian Society and social customs. Jacob Betts (Algernon Moncrieff) is the first player we meet—his sly and animated portrayal of Algernon engages audiences while adding a layer of characterization that flirts with a homosexual subtext that is suggested in Wilde’s overall text. Ryan Klamen as John Worthing aims to be more stoic in comparison which makes his humorus lines and situations even more effective—together these two make for a dynamic twosome.
Ryan Klamen (R) and Eric Ryan (L).
The female sweethearts are another well balanced pair rounding out the former male suitors. Caroline Pitts (Gwendolyn Fairfax) so clearly represents her inner polarity between being a sophisticated lady and coquettish woman with carnal desires—even with the refined text Fairfax is able to add so much more to this otherwise conventional character. Annabell Borke (Cecily) channels her inner 18-year-old with astounding success. Borke wizzes about the room like an effervescent teenager whose emotions are firing a mile a minute—Cecily lives in a fantasy world and Borke knows how to draw us into that rosy daydream. Lady Bracknell is the paragon of standard Victorian ideals peppered with snobbery and self-proclaimed authority. Tamarah Ashton’s portrayal resounds with Bracknell’s personality, her long-winded monologues are delivered with enough conviction that you almost forget to laugh at their absurdity.
Caroline Pitts (L), Dr. James Borke (Center) and Annabelle Borke (R).
Adding to the experience of the evening all the actors of 413 Project Theater are impeccably dressed in period Victorian clothes. Ladies are dressed in full-length dresses with fancy hats and men are dressed in coats, vests, ties and top hats. 413 Project Theater’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest proves just how exciting immersive theatre can be and how well a cup of tea goes with the work of Oscar Wilde.
INFORMATION AND TICKETS:
Tickets: https://www.the413project.org/la-earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest runs from May 31st – June 10th, 2018
Location: Madeline Gardens and Bistro
1030 E Green St., Pasadena, CA, 91106
