1. THE IMPORTANCE
OF BEING EARNEST
A PRESENTATION BY GROUP #29:
MARGARET JERNIGAN, GEORGIO CHRISOPOULOS, KATHERINE
DHARBAL, AND DIANA HINDI

2. SETTING
• Victorian era.
• Act I takes place in London, a busy metropolis where business practices and
partying take place in equal measure.
• Acts II and III take place mainly in Hertfordshire which is out in the country.
The countryside is where the nobility are able to really display their wealth
and prosperity.

3. DIRECTING
MARGARET JERNIGAN

4. IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
• I chose this script, with the input of my group, because it is a comedy that
translates to the present day.
• Although this play is set in the Victorian Era, it’s an amusing satire on class
structure and excess morality.

5. CAST
As JACK WORTHING- Chris Pine
Theatre Credits Include:
Cast in Fool For Love, running Summer 2014
Movie Credits Include:
Star Trek
As ALGERNON MONCRIEFF- Jude Law
Theatre Credits Include:
Henry V and Anna Christie at West End
Movie Credits Include:
Sherlock Holmes

6. CAST
As GWENDOLEN FAIRFAX-
Michelle Dockery
Theatre Credits Include:
Pygmalion at the Royal National Theatre
TV Credits Include:
Downton Abbey
As CECILY CARDEW- Joanna
Vanderham
Theatre Credits Include:
The Promise at The Donmar Warehouse
TV Credits Include:
The Paradise

7. CAST
As LADY BRACKNELL- Alan
Rickman
Theatre Credits Include:
Seminar and Private Lives on Broadway
Movie Credits Include:
The Harry Potter series
An occasional effect used in
The Importance of Being
Earnest is to cast a man as Lady
Bracknell. This brings another
element of comedy to the play.

8. CAST
As MISS PRISM- Maggie Smith
Theatre Credits Include:
Private Lives and Lettice and Lovage on Broadway
TV and Movie Credits Include:
Downton Abbey
The Harry Potter series
As REVEREND CHASUBLE- Jim Carter
Theatre Credits Include:
Guys and Dolls at the National Theatre
TV Credits Include:
Downton Abbey

9. CAST
As LANE- Benedict Cumberbatch
Theatre Credits Include:
Hedda Gabler at West End and Frankenstein
TV Credits Include:
Sherlock
As MERRIMAN- Martin Freeman
Theatre Credits Include:
Clybourne Park, Cast in Richard III (running Sept. 2014)
Movie and TV Credits Include:
The Hobbit and Sherlock

10. THE SPINE OR MAIN ACTION
• The “spine” of Importance of Being Earnest is the attempt made by the main
characters to find love.
• Both Jack/Earnest and Algernon propose in the play, to the two main female
characters.

11. THE STYLE
• The style of Importance of Being Earnest is a loose form of realism known as
selective realism.
• The characters speak and act in ways that the Victorian Era upper-class might;
however, to allow for the satirical nature of the play to shine, they are more
cognizant of the witty and deceitful nature of their dialogue than they might
be in a more naturalistic adaptation of this play.

12. THE THEME
• The theme of this presentation of Importance of Being Earnest is the satire of
the Victorian Era.
• The costumes are gaudy, the set is ornate, and the lighting highlights the
elaborate set. The casting is meant to complement and heighten the
humorous nature of the play.

13. DIRECTORIAL CONCEPT
• While the production is still set in the Victorian Era, the set and the way the
characters carry themselves and behave would be more gaudy and showy than an
extremely period production would be.
• This is intended to bring out the satirical nature of the play, and highlight that each
line is meant to make a mockery of the Victorian Era.

14. COSTUME DESIGN
GEORGIO CHRISOPOULOS

15. JACK/ERNEST
• One actor will play both the roles of
Jack and Ernest
• Jack will wear Victorian clothing, a
top hat, a bow tie, and have a
reversible jacket when he is at his
home in England.

16. • The actor will reverse the jacket from a black
color to it’s inside red color to explain his
double life to Algernon.
• When the play transitions to the later parts of
the production he will no longer wear the top
hat or bowtie because he is supposed to relax
in the countryside. He will, however, continue
to wear the red part of his jacket.
JACK/ERNEST- CONTINUED

17. ALGERNON MONCRIEFF
• Algernon will also wear a full set of Victorian clothing and
remove the hat and tie for when he is in the countryside.
• His suit will be a deep purple and wear a red vest.

18. GWENDOLYN FAIRFAX
• Displays a lot of qualities of Victorian
womanhood and will be dressed in high
fashion because her mother is obsessed with
looking and acting high class.
• She will wear a pink Victorian dress and carry
a fan to cool off. She will also wear expensive
looking jewelry and have pink, purple, white
and red roses in her hair.

19. CECILY CARDEW
• Cecily Cardew is a very imaginative young woman
therefore her dress will be extravagant.
• The colors of her dress shall be purple and red.
• She will carry a book that she and Ernest have
conversed about.

20. LADY BRACKNELL
• She acts very high class and only cares that
her daughter be married to a respectable
wealthy man.
• She will wear a white Victorian dress, carry
around a white umbrella, and wear a hat
with fabricated design and a large pink
feather.

21. MISS PRISM
• She is the governess for Cecily.
• She will not be dressed elegantly like the
other characters ,but will wear a simple
dress and have a red tie wrapped around
her neck
• She also will wear a pair of glasses.

22. REV. CHASUBLE
• Will be dressed as a priest.
• He will also wear a cross around his
neck.
• He will also wear a pair of glasses.

23. LANE
• Dressed as the servant of Algernon
• Will wear a black and white suit
with a deep purple bow tie.

24. MERRIMAN
• Dressed as a servant
• Will wear a black and white suit with a
red bow tie.

25. SET DESIGN
KATHERINE DHARBAL

26. ACT I: ALGERNON MONCRIEFF’S FLAT
• A room furnished luxuriously in the Victorian Period style
• Victorian period furnishings included heavy furniture and fabrics, plants,
china, and glass wear

27. FURNISHINGS ACT I
• Wood paneled walls painted green with gold accents
• Wooden coffee table in the center of the set with a sofa behind it and chairs
on each side

28. FURNISHINGS ACT I
• Wooden coffee table in the middle of the set
with a vase of flowers on it
• Fake tree behind couch

29. PROPS ACT I
• Silver cigarette case brought out on a salver

30. PROPS ACT I
• An empty plate and tea set sit on the table
• Sherry glass brought in to Algernon by Lane

31. ACT II: GARDEN AT MANOR HOUSE
• The set is an old fashioned Victorian garden, filled with roses that Cecily
waters and cuts.
• The backdrop is painted sky blue with clouds
• Rose bushes line the back border of the set

32. FURNISHINGS ACT II
• Wicker table in center and two wicker chairs to either side of the table, there
is a pile of books on the table.

33. FURNISHINGS ACT II
• Large tree with branches hanging over
table set
• This could be a hanging painting of a tree
coming from the wings

34. ACT III: MORNING ROOM AT MANOR HOUSE
• In the era that the play was set in, the morning room was used as a lady’s
sitting room, a tea room, or a room to receive guests.
• The room would have been light and airy, decorated in lighter colors and
fabrics
• There’s a window in the morning room to allow for lots of light.

35. FURNISHINGS ACT III
• Backdrop would include a wall papered lightly with a window

36. FURNISHINGS ACT III
• Sofa facing front of stage with a chair opposite it
• Light coffee table with same tea set and vase of flowers from Act I

37. LIGHTING DESIGN
DIANA HINDI

38. ACT I
• In Act I, the entire stage will be illuminated fully,
with dimmers set to intensify the level of brightness
in the forefront of the stage where Algernon and
Jack are speaking to each other.
• This will provide visibility of the set to show the time
period it is in.

39. ACT I- CONTINUED
• Soft lighting will be used to portray the friendly
mood and fun relationship of the two men in the
morning room as they joke with each other.

40. ACT II
For Act II, in the countryside, spotlights in the back of the
stage will intensify the scene to mimic bright sunlight.
This will emphasize the time of day as well as the
greenery of the trees on stage that will be part of the set.

41. ACT II- CONTINUED
• In order to mimic grass and the outdoors, green floor
lighting on the front side of the stage will illuminate
the floor to establish the garden location.

42. ACT III
• Act III is set in the brightly
lit morning room. Having
spotlights streaming in
through a window into
the room will emphasize
the time of day.
• The room itself will have
soft lighting from above
to illuminate the entire
stage.

43. ACT III- CONTINUED
• In order to illuminate the entire stage to include all
the characters as they confront the truth of Jack’s
identity, there will be spotlights above the stage. The
lighting will be brighter than that of act I in order to
convey time and a heightened and alert mood.

44. DIRECTING WORKS CITED
• http://www.celebhairdo.com/chris-pine-hairstyle-makeup-suits-shoes-and-perfume/
• http://judelawbrasil.blogspot.com/2011/08/quem-e-jude-law.html
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/characters.html
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2469796/The-Paradise-TV-review-Leather-lace-
withering-sarcasm.html
• http://www.ohio.com/the330entertainment/playing-vocal-role-in-sweeney-todd-scary-in-a-
good-way-1.87013
• http://picornot.com/domain/emsworth.wordpress.com
• http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20769936,00.html
• http://cultur-ed.edforum.net/page/2/
• http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/02/18/benedict-cumberbatch-
interview_n_4808816.html
• http://rippleeffects.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/the-importance-of-being-earnest-by-oscar-
wilde/

45. COSTUME WORKS CITED
• http://www.aidecworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/011.jpg
• http://www.highsnobiety.com
• http://www.examiner.com
• http://www.popmatters.com
• http://www.buzzle.com
• http://www.fashionbelief.com
• http://www.fashion-era.com
• http://graphics8.nytimes.com
• crazygalcostumes.com
• http://www.bluemountaintheater.com
• http://wklondon.typepad.com/welcome_to_optimism/

46. SET WORKS CITED
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/05/21/GA2010052102830.html
• http://nationalfurnituresupply.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Victorian-Sofa2.jpg
• http://www.jufurniture.co.uk/victorian-style-mahogany-spoon-back-armchair-frame-only-2083-
p.asp
• http://souhantq.com/griffen-coffee-table/
• http://www.clipartpal.com/clipart_pd/plants/basketsandboquets1.html
• http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Silk-Plants/978/subcat.html
• http://thegraphicsfairy.com/vintage-clip-art-antique-china-plate-4-options/
• http://www.artedona.com/en/Glassware/Glass-series/Theresienthal-Samira-glasses.html
• http://www.memorablegifts.com/gifts/pc/Sophisticated-Silver-Cigarette-Case-p1208.htm
• http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-victorian-silver-plated-salver-mark-of-5336623-details.aspx
• http://www.gardenornamentsdirect.com/red-artificial-rose-bush.html
• http://www.inmagz.com/11001-17442-cute-and-quirky-a-brilliant-design-victorian-wallpaper
• http://www.revitcity.com/downloads.php?action=view&object_id=8413
• http://furniturevictorian.com/blog/category/victorian-living-room-individual-pieces/sofas/
• http://modernicaprops.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2916

47. LIGHTING WORKS CITED
• http://www.d.umn.edu/~mharvey/bornyesterdaywideshot.jpg
• http://berkshireartsalmanac.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/07/Earnest03.jpg
• http://www.lightnowblog.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/06/rosco11.jpg
• http://www.pushing-pixels.org/wp-
content/uploads/2011/09/sunlight_stream.jpg
• http://www.lightnowblog.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/06/rosco2.jpg