For the North Coast Rep review, click here. For the Vantage musical edition, you’re already there!

Though stripped down to the essential plot, this musical version includes nearly all the most important features of the classic Oscar Wilde script. That script features two men who pretend to be a fictitious person named Earnest in order to court two different ladies, Gwendolen and the young Cecily. But when they are both ready to propose marriage, they are chagrined to find that the two ladies will only marry them if their names are truly “Earnest.”

Director Dori Salois (who also worked on the lyrics with Jack G. Barefield and Nanci Hunter) brings together a fine mix of talent for the show. That mix includes Debra Wanger as Gwendolen. Most recently seen in La Jolla Stage Company’s Gershwin’s Gold/Rodger’s Riches and the Welk Theatre’s Carousel, here Debra gets an even better opportunity to display her prodigious vocal and comedic talents – her sublime operatic voice had me completely entranced, while her priceless expressions had me laughing my Bunberry off as she flirted with Jack “Earnest” Worthing (Ric Henry), and especially as she squared off with suspected rival Cecily.

Jill Lewis is a natural for the role of Cecily. Lately Jill has made a couple of impressive performances at the Welk including helping the theatre earn two “Billie” ensemble awards – first for Oklahoma! as Laurey and most recently as Kim in Show Boat where she finished off the show with an incredible dance routine. Here she turns in a youthfully exuberant and an amusingly pouty young Cecily who yearns for romance and adventure from a “wicked” suitor, preferably named “Earnest.” Especially if it will take her away from her boring studies! Jill’s lovely voice and hilarious melodrama combine for one of the best scenes in which she sings about a romantic fantasy adventure from her diary. Jill and Debra combine for my favorite musical number in which the two meet and instantly become best friends, then turn on each other in a jealous rage, and finally become best friends again – all in one song!

Ric Henry and Phil Johnson also display strong voices and a good sense of comedy, with Phil as the arrogant playboy Algernon “Earnest” Moncrieff winning the audience with his dry sarcasm and his brazen flirtations and knowing winks with the women in the audience. Jan Manos, as the snooty Lady Bracknell who considers Jack “Earnest” Worthing to be below Gwendolen’s social status, is most enjoyable when complaining of Jack’s unrefined origin (being found as a baby in a handbag in the cloakroom of a train station).

Rob Hopper
San Diego Playbill