Out of the Mist Celtic Theatre Set to Perform Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple."
Spill the tea with Out of The Mist Celtic Theatre as they take on Oscar Wilde’s witty and romantic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest. Originally premiered in 1895 at the St. James’s Theatre in London, England, the play delves into the seriousness, or lack thereof, of institutions and marriage while resulting in a satirical sense of humor towards Victorian society.
Follow a young man named Jack as he adopts the alias “Earnest'' and captures the attention of Gwendolen, solely for his fake name. When Gwendolen's mother, Lady Bracknell, discovers Earnest’s past as an orphan, she refuses his proposal to her daughter. This causes Jack and Gwendolen’s cousin, Algernon, to concoct a plan to get rid of Ernest. Come watch the complex contradictions of the construction of self unfold as the production explores the many facets of identity and truth, and discover for yourself the vital importance of being Earnest.
The play is directed by Michelle Schwantes for Out of The Mist Celtic Theatre, a new theatre group that is devoted to creating theatre that illuminates the history and diversity of Celtic Culture through the lens of the greater human experience.
Schwantes chose The Importance of Being Earnest because of how the play reflects the outsider status Oscar Wilde experienced due to his Irish heritage and sexuality. She enjoyed how the characters are examining the nature of love and identity and how the play intersects the two. Schwantes believes the play is:
“particularly relevant as it is filled with characters that are continually discovering, defining, and expressing their identities against a barrage of social pressure and expectations. Every character in this story is yearning to fully express who they are and choosing to love on their own terms.
This piece allows us to ask how much of who we are is determined by familial connection, socio-economic status, and gender. It asks many questions. How do we bring together all the different elements that make up who we are? How much of who we are is determined by those around us and the society that we live in? Are we different things to different people?”
The Importance of Being Earnest will open July 14 at 7:30pm with a “Pay What You Can At The Door” ticket price. Performances are July 15, 16, 22, 23 at 7:30pm and July 17 and 24 at 2 pm at the Celtic Junction Arts Center, 836 Prior Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104. Tickets are $20 for admission, and $15 for students, 62+ and groups of 10 or more. To purchase tickets, visit https://celticjunction.org/calendar/.
Don’t forget to follow Out of The Mist Theatre on Facebook @Outofthemisttheatre, or email them at outofthemistceltictheatre@gmail.com with questions. For more information about the show, visit https://www.outofthemistceltictheatre.org/.
Through lyrical music, poetry, and movement we embark on the harrowing journey of three young Irish immigrants aboard the infamous "coffin ships." Their narratives are beautiful, vulnerable, and engaging as their trials unfold before the rhythm of the ever-changing waves. Told through the dynamic movement and music of a sea chorus, this engaging performance brings these stories vivid life and demonstrates how memory is complicated, but sometimes, all that we have to hold onto.
UPCOMING: We Are the Sea
