36 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G 7 2 0 0 3
Arts: Theatre
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f you haven’t bought your Aiken Community Playhouse membership yet, you can still sign up in time to catch the members’ only special production of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.” It will show Aug. 8-10 and Aug. 15-16, so if you hurry, you can seat yourself before this weekend’s performance. And to help you out, there is going to be a membership drive Saturday, Aug. 9 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. According to ACP’s marketing manager Dave Long, members who sign up now will not only get to see six mainstage productions for their $70 membership fee, but they will get three shows for free: this season’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” next season’s “Once Upon a Mattress” in September, and the October members’ only production of “Love Letters.” Of course, if you miss Saturday’s membership drive, you can still sign up any time you like.
sounds they are lacking in their repertoire. So it isn’t surprising that she would find it important to handle the language of the play as authentically as possible. Asked how the actors are doing with their attempts to become English for a while, she said, “Very well.” “I have a wonderful, wonderful group. Most of the actors that I have are theatre majors. The ones that aren’t, we’ve spent a lot of time listening to accent tapes.” The show is set in 1895, and so that gives them quite an opportunity to play dress-up as well. The ladies have been practicing moving around the stage in their skirts. There have been a couple of tripping episodes, she said, but that should be ironed out by opening night. Thankfully, there are no hoop skirts in this production, as that would lend a fascinating array of mistakes. Huey herself has had some experience with them. “I used to do Christmas caroling in hoops. The first time I sat down in it, the thing The Production Basically, it’s a turnwent over my head.” of-the-century British We asked why she – Shannon Huey, Director of comedy about two was so determined to “The Importance young bachelors on a direct this particular of Being Earnest” quest for … well, the play. She had grown to sorts of things that love it a couple of young bachelors quest years ago while for. Jack Worthing and Algernon attempting to direct an ill-fated high Moncrieff want excitement and so they school production. use embellishments. Big ones and often. “My two lead actors ended up with Jack has invented a brother, whom he mono, so we had to cancel the show.” calls Ernest, and who becomes a vehicle She said the show had been chosen to allow him to leave his country home partly because it is a classic and partly to play in town. Algernon’s imaginary because they had found a royalty-free buddy, Bunbury, allows him to escape version. As she worked with the play, she the city. Of course, three’s a crowd in grew to love it. “The more I read it, the romantic pursuits, even if the interloper funnier it gets,” she said. is an alter ego. And so these young This production, she said, gives her an men’s quests – Gwendolen Fairfax and opportunity to work with a play that she Cecily Cardew – are on the line. loves, but also gives her a chance to The repartee is witty, to say the least. If complete something that she started with expertly crafted, fast-moving dialog is that high school production. your bag, then get thee to the playhouse. We asked what she loves about the play. Director Shannon Huey has opted for a “It’s a language play. It’s a lot of talkvery traditional approach to “Earnest,” ing, but it’s very engaging.” and has avoided the adaptations and any “The Importance of Being Earnest” will temptation not to use period costuming. run Aug. 8-10 and 15-16. Performances And accents. are in downtown Aiken, S.C., at the During the day, Huey is a language Washington Center for the Performing pathologist for University Hospital, help- Arts at 124 Newberry Street. For reservaing adult stroke victims relearn the skill tions and info, call (803) 648-1438 or of speaking, and helping youngsters with visit their Web site at underdeveloped speech skills make www.atlantic.net/~acp.
“The more I read it, the funnier it gets.”