Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is celebrated for its glittering wit and its savage skewering of Victorian respectability. Yet, beneath the sparkling dialogue lies a far more radical core: a world constructed entirely on performance, where identity, class, and desire are nothing more than elaborate costumes. In her directorial debut with the company, Artistic Director Petra Kalive brings a fierce, modern vitality to Wilde’s masterpiece. More than 130 years after its premiere, Kalive’s production brings an irreverent freshness, revelling in the barely veiled politics and urgent relevance that remain as sharp today as they were in the 1890s.
“We are working with a wildly talented, all-South Australian cast to explore the barely veiled politics of the piece,” says Kalive. “I am excited by this team and what we’re going to create together. I’m thinking fast, furious and wickedly funny.”
The play follows two young men, Jack and Algernon, who fabricate elaborate alter egos named “Ernest” to evade social obligations and chase romance. But as their deceptions unravel, chaos erupts in a world where truth is slippery, and appearances are everything.
Kalive’s approach moves beyond nostalgia, treating the text not as a museum piece but as a living, breathing critique of social performance. With an entirely South Australian cast (cabaret star Carla Lippis, Caroline Mignone, Prisoner’s Glenda Linscott, Nathan O’Keefe, Teddy Dunn, Anna Lindner, Connor Pullinger and Pia Gillings), with a lush design by Kathryn Sproul, we’re serving up the very best talent with teeth, sparkle, and a whole lot of nerve. Prepare yourself for a bold and joyful night at the theatre.
May 8 – 30
statetheatrecompany.com.au
Image: Marnya Rothe.
