Film & Theatre, Reviews | Posted on February 28th, 2025 | return to news
…Earnest?
Say It Again, Sorry?, Poole Lighthouse
By Luke Graham
If you’re in need of a laugh this weekend, try and get to Poole Lighthouse Friday evening or Saturday for this wickedly funny adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’.
A cross between ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’, the backstage antics of ‘Noises Off’ and an improv performance like ‘Showstoppers’, ‘…Earnest?’ is currently touring the UK after several successful runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Within minutes of the play’s opening scene, a major problem develops: the actor playing main character Ernest Worthing is nowhere to be seen. Without an understudy available, desperate director Simon Slough decides to drag a member of the audience on stage to play the part… without a script.
If you’ve ever performed on stage, the feeling of not knowing what to say in front of an audience is mortifying, so well done to hapless audience member Alex for playing along during this hilarious two-hour show.
Following a series of unfortunate events, including broken arms, sore throats, a drunken stupor and one of the actors being poached by a rival show, eventually the whole cast is replaced by members of the audience.
It’s a brilliantly funny conceit. Seeing the way the actors respond to the audience member’s suggestions is hysterical and showcased the cast’s incredible skills in improvisation, and the way the audience members are puppeteered and steered through the play – often with laugh-inducing stage cajoling from director Simon – was excellent.
While the audience were hesitant at first, by the end of the play they were fully onboard with the audience interaction – one man even took a selfie with the cast in the middle of the show. If that sounds awful, don’t worry it is very funny in context.
The actors are brilliant. Josh Habberfield as the desperate director Simon Slough is just about able to steer the sinking ship of his play. Ben Mann as stagehand Josh brings Buster Keaton-esque physical comedy to his mostly mute role. Judith Amsenga and Trynity Silke are brilliant as the play’s female leads. Guido Garcia Lueches is incredible as the terrible actor Terry – unable to improvise, he forces his way through the play’s rigid stage directions even when no one else is on their mark.
‘…Earnest?’ is an absolute delight and I thoroughly recommend it – just don’t sit too close to the front if you don’t want to end up on stage!
‘…Earnest?’ is on today at 7.45pm and Saturday at 2.30pm and 7.45pm. Book via https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/earnest/. The show will be in Southampton on 6–8 March.
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