Algernon and Jack, whose false identities become entangled leading to absurd consequences
By Peter Townson
Members of the Doha Players will this week take to the stage in the group’s interpretation of Oscar Wilde’s famous work The Importance of Being Earnest.
The show will be staged on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7pm at the auditorium in Qatar Academy, and tickets are still available at The One.
The play is a comedy, poking fun at the social attitudes displayed by the British upper classes of the time.?
While Wilde’s dialogue and various references are unquestionably British, many of the insights and messages apply across cultural or national boundaries.  Indeed the examination of the relationship between class and wealth could be seen to apply a little closer to home.?
The play tells the story of Algernon Moncrieff (David Pearson), a charming but not altogether scrupulous man, who ends up playing the part of Earnest, a false identity created by Jack Worthing (Joe Wall).? Algernon’s cousin Cecily (Holly Steele) who has heard about Earnest’s exploits, falls for Algernon’s impersonation, while Jack’s Earnest is betrothed to Algernon’s cousin Gwendolyn (Rowan Denny).?
Lady Bracknell (Helen Swan), produces some of the playwright’s most memorable lines, while the nine-person cast is made up of Gary Mond, Gillian Hope, Richard Silver and Julian Kent.?
Confusion abounds, and questions over just whom is in love with and engaged to whom lead to quite absurd comedic situations, and arguably Wilde’s finest play.?
Gulf Times spoke to co-directors Julian Kent and Jane Tatnall who are both making their directorial debuts with the Doha Players, and they explained that they have both enjoyed embarking on the challenge of making Wilde’s sometimes difficult script accessible and enjoyable.?
Tatnall explained that “the extremely challenging script pokes fun at the association people had between wealth and class.”
“It’s a real slice of England, and it shows that people can laugh at their own stereotypes,” she said, adding “we have a fantastic cast and we have really had fun doing the play.”
Kent said: “Oscar Wilde’s tagline said that this play was ‘a trivial play for serious people.’ As my directorial debut I was grateful for a cast that was neither trivial in talent, nor serious in rehearsal and who could interpret inexperienced stage direction with good humour.”
They both praised the efforts of the cast and crew in creating sets and costumes to accurately portray the atmosphere of the time.?
Producer, Richard Silver stated: “Oscar Wilde aficionados as well as newcomers to theatre will enjoy this show, they can see how Wilde cleverly exposes the absurdity of the British Upper Crust.”
“Like all the best comedy writers, he takes the small mannerisms seen in a lot of people and accentuates them to absurd proportions,” he added.
Doha Players chairman, Peter Phillips thanked the group’s sponsors, ConocoPhillips, GAC, HSBC, DTM and the Ramaillah Group, without whom shows like this would be impossible to stage in Qatar, and also expressed the group’s gratitude to Qatar Academy for providing the auditorium.