VICTOBER 2025 discussion

A discussion board for all your thoughts on The Importance of Being Earnest!

Here's a reminder of the schedule:
Act I: 1st and 2nd
Act II: 3rd and 4th
Act III: 5th and 6th

Please don't spoil the play for anyone else on this board; only discuss plot points of the Act we're up to in the schedule.

Ooohh...I'm so excited for the discussion of this :-D It's one of my favourites and one of the funniest plays I've ever read!

I was marking my copy for tomorrow and noticed that it has 4 acts...does anyone else's edition have 4 acts?

Woo hoo I have started and really enjoying it. I'm cheating and using this as the prompt for re reading a book.

It is funnier than I remember. I played Gwendolen in an amateur production back in the 80s. As I read it I have actor Hugh Laurie’s voice in my head for Algernon. Did he ever play that part? Anyway enjoying the play.

Was reading this morning and it's even more funny than I remember. There are things I didn't understand as much when I was 15 no doubt...

I'm starting this evening

Loving it. Tempted to buy the DVD of the film version with Edith Evans.

Oooppps, I've finished....I couldn't and didn't want to put this down!! five stars from me :) think this may be the first classic I have given 5 stars to!

Algernon: The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!

Just finished Act 1. I’m really enjoying this so far! Loving the humor.

Janelle wrote: "Algernon: The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!"

I marked this too! I thought it was brilliant :)

Loving this play! I had no idea how witty these were. I finished act 1, and can't wait to read more.

I'm trying to follow the reading schedule, but it was hard to stop at Act l - haha! This play is delightful and I'm going to stream the 1952 version on Amazon because....Margaret Rutherfofd! :-)

Janelle wrote: "I was marking my copy for tomorrow and noticed that it has 4 acts...does anyone else's edition have 4 acts?"

My version has three, but in the appendix there’s the 4th.

I love Lady Bracknell as a character. I'm reminded of Bertie Wooster's Aunt Dahlia from 'The Code of the Woosters' by PG Wodehouse.

The notes in the edition I'm reading (Oxford) mention Maggie Smith playing her on the stage, which I can just imagine.

Restraining myself from reading on! So engaging.

I'm so excited to reread this whole play! Wilde is so delightfully funny and there's a reason this play is such a classic. When I was in high school, playing Cecily was my dream. I never got to do it but I still have such a fondness for the role.

Just finished Act 1. So funny. Different from most Victorian Lit I have previously read. Really want to watch a film version of this.

I couldn't stop at Act I - I just had to keep going!! Looking forward to the next group read-a-long. It's another Earnest play isn't it?

Finished act 1 and really enjoyed it! Didn't expect it to be this funny!

It's nice to read a play that I have to worry about struggling to understand it. Of course, I have studied a few Shakespeare plays and they're hard to follow, until we talk about it in class. I really enjoyed Act I, which is very amusing. I liked that line too about truth that Algernon says too.

Jill wrote: "Janelle wrote: "I was marking my copy for tomorrow and noticed that it has 4 acts...does anyone else's edition have 4 acts?"

My version has three, but in the appendix there’s the 4th."

That's interesting.

I had no idea how funny this play was! Really enjoying it.

I agree with everyone that this play is uncommonly funny: almost every single line lands like a punchline. That's quite an achievement!

I've been getting a feeling that the world of this play is unmoored from reality in ways that go beyond mere non-realism or comic exaggeration.

After doing a little research, I think W.H. Auden hit the nail on the head when he said,
"Wilde created a verbal universe in which the characters are determined by the kinds of things they say, and the plot is nothing but a succession of opportunities to say them."
The last part of that quote is almost clever enough to be a Wildean epigram in the making.

Shane wrote: "I agree with everyone that this play is uncommonly funny: almost every single line lands like a punchline. That's quite an achievement!

I've been getting a feeling that the world of this play is u..."

Good catch, Shane!

Completely forgot how funny and well-paced this is.

Just finished Act I and really love it. I wasn't going to read the other O. Wilde with everyone but now I think I might.

It looks like I’m the only one here so far not so enthused by this play after the first two acts. I understand it is a glorious comedic critique of Victorian upper class society and there are some terrific lines, but I can’t help but find it a little tedious for the most part. I found on YouTube the production with David Suchet as Lady Bracknell. His handbag scene was wonderful. For this play to work well it really does need great actors or it can fall very flat. I gave up watching act 2 because I couldn’t bear the acting. For this play I much prefer reading than watching.

Froggles wrote: "I love Lady Bracknell as a character. I'm reminded of Bertie Wooster's Aunt Dahlia from 'The Code of the Woosters' by PG Wodehouse.

The notes in the edition I'm reading (Oxford) mention Maggie Smi..."

It reminded me of the Jeeves and Wooster books. Lady Bracknell is like Bertie's fierce aunts. Lane is rather like Jeeves.

In reading this, I am kicking myself as there was a production of this play earlier this year. I refrained because I was annoyed that the company didn't do Shakespeare this season. Regrets...

I loved the first Act when I read it yesterday. I didn't love the second act as much today as I found Jack and Algernon a bit ridiculous toward the end. I'm looking forward to act 3 to see how it all finishes up.

I listened to a full cast play by a LA theater group while following with the paperback. I absolutely adored it!

Nuria wrote: "Good catch, Shane!"

Thanks! Leave it to W.H. Auden to dare to say something clever about Wilde.

Froggles wrote: "I love Lady Bracknell as a character. I'm reminded of Bertie Wooster's Aunt Dahlia from 'The Code of the Woosters' by PG Wodehouse.

The notes in the edition I'm reading (Oxford) mention Maggie Smi..."

Maggie Smith as Lady Bracknell would be so wonderful! I wonder if you can find this version of the play in the US.?

Very readable and so funny! I’m interested to check out an adaptation after this reading. Any recommendations?

Kristin, as it was a stage production, I don't know whether Maggie Smith's performance as Lady Bracknell was ever filmed.

Kevin Varney, I suspect Wodehouse was heavily influenced by Oscar Wilde. Don't you think?

Froggles wrote: "Kevin Varney, I suspect Wodehouse was heavily influenced by Oscar Wilde. Don't you think?"

I can definitely see that!

Janelle wrote: "I was marking my copy for tomorrow and noticed that it has 4 acts...does anyone else's edition have 4 acts?"

Apparently there are two slightly different editions of the play in the world! Mine has a lot of notes on where it differs to the other version, which I believe has four acts. It's a bit confusing!

Froggles wrote: "Kevin Varney, I suspect Wodehouse was heavily influenced by Oscar Wilde. Don't you think?"

I was reminded of Wodehouse as well. You're probably right. :)

Froggles wrote: "Kevin Varney, I suspect Wodehouse was heavily influenced by Oscar Wilde. Don't you think?"

Should have been sued for plagiarism. Still, they were good characters. Shame not to re-use them with a little bit of tweaking.
Come to think of it, most of those Jeeves and Wooster plots involved engagements that had come unstuck, and needed to be put back on track.

Oh I really loved this play. I definitely need to get it on audio.

If I had Aladdin's lamp, my wish would be to resurrect Oscar Wilde so that he could write more gems.
I tried to stick to the schedule but failed miserably, but can you blame me? I haven't laughed like that in a long time. It's even more funny than when I first read it!

Funny story: I was listening to the Victorian Era playlist Kate recommended on Spotify and when I got to the scene where Jack & Algernon were arguing after they first encountered each other in the former's house, it happened that the track playing then was "The Congress Reel" by Poitín and it couldn't have been more perfect! I think they heard me laughing across the ocean xD

SO enjoyable! I finished ahead of schedule because I became so caught-up in the story line. Sorry! ;-)

*Possible spoiler if you’re not finished with Act II*

I think my favorite scene so far is in Act II when Cecily is telling Algernon about their “engagement” and all the love letters he “wrote” her. Hilarious!

The layers and layers of unreality and sheer fantasy are just magnificent.

Shane wrote: "*Possible spoiler if you’re not finished with Act II*

I think my favorite scene so far is in Act II when Cecily is telling Algernon about their “engagement” and all the love letters he “wrote” her..."

I thought this was hilarious too! If I were Earnest, I would run without looking back, lol!

Did Cecily made up the story about engagement? and all those letters which Algy never wrote?
Hilarious

There are so many witty and hilarious quotes in The Impotance of Being Earnest, but there is also one very true for all of us book lovers out there in Act II:
"One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” (Gwendolen)

I just finished this off this afternoon and loved it again. It's such great fun, full of hilarious witty writing. I'm glad so many of you are enjoying it :)