The Importance Of Being Earnest at Oak Park Festival Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...Finding coded hints of Wilde's homosexuality in "Earnest" has become its own parlor game, but Theis decides to play it straight, if you will. True, Jude Willis' Algernon Moncrieff, Jack's hedonistic friend (and Gwendolen's cousin) who courts young Cecily in the guise of fictive brother Ernest, has his fey side. But he's really more like fast-talking Harold Hill in "The Music Man," with waspish whimsy in place of, well, earnestness. By contrast, Crosthwaite's Jack feels a bit more behind-the-eight-ball in his machinations, as suits one whose lineage stretches back to Victoria Station and a handbag. "With two handles!" he exclaims to Lady Bracknell as he tries to make his case for marrying her daughter, with predictable results."

Chicago Sun Times - Recommended

"...If you like your humor dry and your comedy subversive, you'll want to make your way to Austin Gardens to see Oak Park Festival Theatre's witty and well-paced staging of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest.""

ShowBizChicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...For those Wilde aficionados I advise avoiding this Earnest as it will make you cringe, both audibly and visually. For those who do not know much about Oscar Wilde and his work please realize that this is not how he intended his work to be presented."

Around The Town Chicago - Recommended

"...What makes this production so nice is the comfortable surrounding and the feeling of friendliness that you get from sharing this experience with the others in the audiences. They come from all over and even on a night when the forecast was for rain, over 80 people showed up and had a wonderful experience. The play begins at 8 p.m. so you can park and walk over to Lake street where there are many types of restaurants to either dine at or pack up a bag and bring it to the park."