The Importance of Being Earnest
by Oscar Wilde
Directed by Cate Naylor
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The Importance of Being Earnest is the most famous of Oscar Wilde’s comedies. It is a story of two bachelors, John ‘Jack’ Worthing and Algernon ‘Algy’ Moncrieff, who create alter egos named Ernest to escape from their tiresome lives. They attempt to win the hearts of two women who, conveniently, claim to only love men named Ernest. In an attempt to keep up with their stories, they become tangled in a tale of deception, disguise and misadventure.
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Read Throughs
Tuesday 22 November 2016- 7.45pm
Thursday 24 November 2016 - 7.45pm
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Auditions
Sunday 27 November 2016 - 6.00-8.30pm
Tuesday 29 November 2016 - 7.30- 9.30pm
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Show dates: Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 March 2017
Characters
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Mr Jack Worthington (Ernest) – Male
Age of character is 29 can be played by someone younger
194 Lines
A young, eligible bachelor about town.
Mr Algernon Moncrieff – Male
Age of character is mid 20’s
180 Lines
A charming, idle and decorative bachelor who is bored by conventions and looking for excitement.
Lady Bracknell – Female or male
Age of character is 50-60, can be played by someone younger, but needs to be played at character age
83 Lines
Algernon’s snobbish, mercenary, and domineering aunt and Gwendolen’s mother.
Miss Gwendolen Fairfax – Female
Age of character is mid 20’s
99 Lines
Gwendolen is in love with Jack, whom she knows as Ernest
Miss Cecily Cardew – Female
Age 18,
146 Lines
Jack’s ward, the granddaughter of the old gentlemen who found and adopted Jack when he was a baby.
Miss Prism (Miss Cardew’s Governess) – Female
Age of character is 50-60 can be played by someone younger, but needs to be played at character age
40 Lines
Cecily's governess and a symbol of Victorian moral righteousness.
Dr Chasuble (Rector) – Male
Age of character 50-60, can be played by someone younger, but needs to be played at character age
39 Lines
Like Miss Prism, he is the source of Victorian moral judgments, but under the surface he appears to be an old lecher.
Lane (Manservant to Mr Moncrieff) – male
Any age, but has to be old enough to have been married
21 Lines
Manservant to Algernon.
Merriman (Butler to Mr Worthington)– male
Any age, 17 Lines
Merriman is Jack’s butler.