Froth Delivered in ‘Earnest’

Like clockwork, Great Britain turns out a great comedic playwright at least once a century.

In the 18th century it was Richard Brinsley Sheridan. The 20th had two: Noel Coward and Joe Orton. The 19th century will always be notable for Oscar Wilde, whose “The Importance of Being Earnest” remains one of the most revived plays in the classic repertoire.

All of these writers require directors and actors who are on to the trick of the stylized playing, and who realize that honesty in characterization and reality of situation are what get the laughs.

In a fine revival at Cal State Fullerton’s Arena Theatre, director Donn Finn has put together a mostly superlative cast that revels in the frothy, epigrammatic wit and is obviously having a ball in Wilde’s hilarious world.

Romantic games, social games, false identities and imagined friends in need abound. What Wilde meant as a satire on the pretensions of high society in his time has turned out to be timeless picture of an era both naive and artless, camouflaging more realistic passions.

The shenanigans of Earnest Worthing and his friend Algernon Moncrieff in their pursuit of pleasure, and the guileless toying of their lady loves, Gwendolyn and Cecily, are always a pleasure to watch. So are the manipulations of Algy’s ogre of an aunt, Lady Bracknell. These characters are icons of an age, yet timeless.

Finn and his artful young company keep the action as light as a souffle, as airy as a spring zephyr. Once in a while a quicker pickup of a cue might be needed, but Finn’s rhythms and tempos are mostly impeccable in his actors’ hands.

Michael Serna as Earnest and Jeff Pierce as Algy are a delectably matched set, bouncing lines off each other like pingpong balls. Each realizes that much is going on behind and under the epigrams, and their attention to detail is a delight.

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Christy Zollar’s pretentious but charming Gwendolyn and Varenia Nicholas’ giddy and wiser-than-her-years Cecily are deliciously and extravagantly of the period. Their schoolgirl naivete and utter seriousness about their loves is just right.

The production’s one problem is Rita Renee’s Lady Bracknell. Finn, instead of guiding Renee into the creation of her own Lady Bracknell, has allowed her to do an outright impression of Dame Edith Evans’ definitive Lady Bracknell, a mistake even made by such a fine actress as Glynis Johns a few years ago.

The hoots and squeaks that were Evans’ trademarks in the role are not real here, and Renee obviously would be capable of building her own ogre if given the chance.

Melodie Henderson, in contrast, creates her own charmingly coy Miss Prism, Cecily’s governess. Though inclined to go a bit overboard, Forrest Robinson does the same with his pontifical Rev. Chasuble. Kevin Beaty and Terry Walcutt both have funny moments as, respectively, Algy and Earnest’s manservants.

* “The Importance of Being Earnest,” Arena Theatre, Cal State Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd. 8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday. $6-$8. Ends Oct. 18. (714) 278-3371. Running time: 2 hours, 50 minutes.

Michael Serna: Earnest Worthing, J.P.

Jeff Pierce: Algernon Moncrieff

Forrest Robinson: Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D.

Rita Renee: Lady Bracknell

Christy Zollar: Hon. Gwendolyn Fairfax

Varenia Nicholas: Cecily Cardew

Melodie Henderson: Miss Prism

Kevin Beaty: Merriman

Terry Walcutt: Lane

A Cal State Fullerton revival of Oscar Wilde’s comedy. Directed by Donn Finn. Scenic design: Todd Canedy. Lighting design: Ronald Voss. Costume design: Caleb Cleveland. Sound design: John Fisher. Makeup/hair design: Tricia Aldas. Choreography: Gladys Kares. Vocal coach: Joan Melton. Stage manager: Heather Ransons.