Oscar Wilde’s comedy classic “The Importance of Being Earnest” opened at the Oak Park Festival Theatre on July 26, 2014 and capped the 40th Earnest PosterAnniversary season for the theatre.

Portions of the reviews appear below:

“★★★ – Oak Park Festival Theatre’s alfresco staging, directed by Kevin Theis, mostly keeps a balance between style and sincerity that translates well in the arboreal splendors of Austin Gardens… Theis keeps the action smartly paced, and his ensemble mostly resists the urge to go big in the great outdoors — a good thing, since overplaying is deadly for this play… the company delivers a sincerely stylish take on one of the enduring workhorses/show ponies of British comedies of manners — and one where you can bring your own picnic of tea sandwiches and muffins.”– Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune

“If you like your humor dry and your comedy subversive, you’ll want to make your way to Austin Gardens to see Oak Park Festival Theatre’s witty and well-paced staging of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.”…[the production] is packed with both style and substance. It’s wonderfully fitting that such sparkling text should play out under the stars.”– Catey Sullivan, Chicago Sun-Times

“…a fabulously fizzy and fun time. Wilde’s Lady Bracknell is masterfully played by Belinda Bremner with an appropriate imperiousness and blithe unawareness of her often ridiculous pronouncements…[A]n enjoyable evening out under the stars [and] a fitting party piece to commemorate Festival Theatre’s 40th anniversary.” – Daily Herald

 

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