The Importance Of Being Earnest, opera review: Subversive, wild and sublimely demented

Gerald Barry’s take on Oscar Wilde’s play is a work of bizarre brilliance, says Barry Millington
Dazzling: Claudia Boyle as Cecily Cardew, Hilary Summers as Miss Prism
ROH/Stephen Cummiskey 2016
Barry Millington1 April 2016

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, with its rapier wit and lack of lyrical reflection, is hardly obvious material for operatic setting. Gerald Barry’s attempt, receiving its second run of London performances, has nevertheless attracted a cult following since its 2012 European premiere. It is indeed a work of bizarre brilliance, though its success lies in its ironic deconstruction of all theatrical (and operatic) norms.

Huge swathes of the text are jettisoned, and the passages that remain are subjected to perverse wordbreaks, the better to subvert the play’s canonic status. Yet Barry is not embarrassed to mine Wilde’s dialogue for its immortal one-liners.

Each of Barry’s characters acquires a non-traditional persona. Lady Bracknell delivers Schiller’s Ode to Joy, in German, at a terrifying pace, her autocratic tendencies later taking on fascist overtones. It’s somehow fitting that the part should be sung by a burly bass: the excellent Alan Ewing. Hilary Summers returns as Miss Prism and has her own register-plumbing version of the Ode to Joy.

'Barry is not embarrassed to mine Wilde’s dialogue for its immortal one-liners'

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Ramin Gray’s production is intentionally alienating but sublimely demented. Lady Bracknell’s exhortation of Jack that he acquire some relations as soon as possible provokes a madcap Irish jig, one of many inspirations that amusingly complement Barry’s conception.

As gloriously over the top as ever is the plate-smashing scene (with pistol-shots and jackboots) into which Cecily and Gwendolen’s tea-party contretemps degenerates. Claudia Boyle dazzles in the stratospheric part of Cecily; Stephanie Marshall is an equally admirable Gwendolen, with Benedict Nelson (Algernon) and Paul Curievici (Jack) as impressive as previously.

Tim Murray creditably directs the Britten Sinfonia, tested to its limits by this impossibly riotous score, complete with ironic referencing of that hymn to social harmony Auld Lang Syne.

Until April 3 (020 7304 4000, roh.org.uk); live streaming April 2

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