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Published: 5 January, 2011
by AMY SMITH

Oscar Wilde’s romp of confused identity and social hypocrisy has been almost brought into the 21st century by Arcade Productions at the Old Red Lion.

Director Henry Filloux-Bennett has created a hybrid era of corsets and iPhones.

As Algernon (James McNicholas) lies languidly on a divan, he is every inch the Victorian dandy but look closer and he is reading an issue of TV Quick with a takeaway pizza box hidden under the period furniture.

When Algernon leaps up to play piano on his Wii, there was laughter but also a little confusion in the audience – one middle-aged woman whispered to her partner, “What is he doing?”

However, the contemporary references and props successfully emphasise still-relevant lines, and their flippancy feel entirely appropriate for this frothy comedy of errors.

When Jack describes his politics as liberal and Lady Bracknell hastily replies “Oh, they count as Tories,” the audience and cast are united in the topical relevance.

Mobile phones are called on throughout for comic effect; a Wagner ringtone playfully accompanies the line “only relatives, or creditors, ever ring in that Wagnerian manner”.

Janet Jeffries masters the role of the haughty matriarch Lady Augusta and boldly delivers the classic “a handbag” line in a fresh approach that adds a sense of humour to her frosty demeanour.

Her costume, and in particular a hat that held the entire contents of an afternoon tea, deserve a special mention for set and costume designer Katharine Heard.

The set change after the interval was minimal and it took a while to realise that the action had moved to a country garden, but the limitations of using house plants for trees was openly acknowledged and used for laughs.

This production could have benefited from a more pacy second half but definitely charms with its novel handling of such familiar material.
After its stint at the Old Red Lion it transfers to the Theatre Royal Haymarket from January 31 to February 11.

UNTIL january 28
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