Review: The Importance of Being Earnest at Poulton Hall

“All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his.” This amusing epigram is taken from Mask & Bauble’s fall 2026 production The Importance of Being Earnest, a Trivial Comedy for Serious People, directed by Jack Markowitz and produced by Annie Howard. 

The work, which deals with the messy affairs of two urban men living double lives, is deeply funny in its wordplay, absurdity and satire of late Victorian manners. The play contemplates marriage, family, and performances of morality, all while poking fun at the Victorian upper class and their attempts to maintain a proper facade. 

Jack Worthing, a country boy who fakes Victorian manners and lets loose in London under the pseudonym “Ernest” in order to evade his social obligations, is played by Albert Malhotra. Jack’s friend, Algernon Moncrieff, always concerned with either his style or his muffins, is conveyed perfectly by Sam Levinger. Malhotra’s mounting freneticism pairs well with Levinger’s nonchalant attitude, making for a great comedic chemistry that anchors the humor from the very first scene.  

The domineering, imposing character of Lady Bracknell is portrayed fantastically by Drake Norris, with well-timed booming yells and over-the-top Victorian manners. Norris commands the stage whenever he enters, ready to judge the other characters with perfectly executed quips.

The pair Claire Cable (Gwendolen Fairfax) and Ruth Abramovitz (Cecily Cardew) shined, especially in their hilarious discussions of their diaries. 

Makenna Faddis played the pensive walk-enjoyer Reverend Canon Chasuble, and Addison Golden played the quick-to-judge Miss Prism.

The small, black box theater worked well for Mask and Bauble’s The Importance of Being Ernest. The roundtable made for an intimate setting with the actors only several feet away; the props team strategically crafted the set with wooden benches, tables, and trapdoors to seamlessly retrieve and store away props.

Many critics have written on the queer imagery and gay subtexts that permeate the production, between the flamboyant Algy, Jack and Algy’s relationship, and perhaps the word “Earnest” as a code word for homosexual in late Victorian England. Wilde, perhaps the anglophone’s most famous gay writer from 20th century literary history, reached the heights of his career with the release of Earnest before stumbling down just weeks later as he was tried and incarcerated for homosexual activity.

The Importance of Being Earnest, a Trivial Comedy for Serious People shows in Poulton Hall Stage III through Nov. 8, 2026. Tickets are available on CampusGroups.